Factors that influences the choice of a contraceptive method.
NuvaRing® has a beneficial effect on acne-results from a clinical experience
program in Spain
C. Moreno
Gallician Study Group, Galicia, Spain
Background
After 40 years of experience with oral hormonal contraception we now have
different methods and routes of administrationa that might adjust more to women
current needs. Therefore women need to be assesed about the different options
existing in order to select together with the prescriber the most apropiate
method for her.
Objective To ascertain the factors that influences the choice
of a monthly contraceptive ring (MCR) in a population of Galician women.
Methods
A total of 486 women aged between 15 and 51 years agreed to participate in this
study carried out at public and private centres in Galicia during the last six
months of 2005. Data on the sociodemographic characteristics, the method of
contraception they were currently using, the use of tampons, their previous
knowledge of the MCR and the source of this information, and the reasons for
refusing this method if they did not agree to use it were collected.
Results
64.4% of the women who participated in the study agreed to use the MCR as a
method of contraception. There were no significant differences in the acceptance
of the ring in terms of the age of the women, their level of education, or the
type of contraception they were already using (47.2% were previously using
condoms and 38% oral hormonal contraception). The rate of acceptance of the MCR
was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in women who usually used tampons (70.3%) than in those who did not use them (41.1%). Although there was a greater tendency to agree to use the ring among women who already knew of the MCR through health professionals, there were no significant differences in terms of the prescriber's healthcare centre, i.e. whether the healthcare was public or private. Physicians working in a rural and urban environment had higher degree of acceptance that the ones working in urban or rural only. Also knowing about MCR trough familiars and friends seems to be an influent factor for acceptance although not significant (75% acceptability knowing by friends vs 64% other information channels).
Conclusions The acceptance after offering different
options and an adecuate contraceptive counseling of the monthly contraceptive
ring among women is high. We did not find a factor that determined a user
profile in a population that historically accept condoms, pill but not the
diaphragm.