Contraceptive Methods Women Have Ever Used:United States, 2015-2019.

Abstract

Objective-This report describes methods of contraception ever used by U.S. women ages 15-49 who had ever had sexual intercourse with a male partner. Estimates are shown overall and by Hispanic origin and race, education, religious affiliation and importance, and urban-rural residence. Discontinuation of selected contraceptive methods is also described. Methods-This report focuses on information collected from the 11,695 women ages 15-49 interviewed in the 2015-2019 National Survey of Family Growth, a nationally representative survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most estimates shown are based on data on contraceptive methods ever used by the 10,122 interviewed women who had ever had sexual intercourse with a male partner. Results-Based on 2015-2019 data, virtually all women of reproductive age who had ever had sexual intercourse with a male partner used at least one contraceptive method at some point in their life up to the time of interview (99.2%, or 63.2 million women ages 15-49), including 87.8% who had ever used a "most or moderately effective reversible method": the pill, an injectable, contraceptive patch, contraceptive ring, contraceptive implant, or intrauterine device. Most women had used the male condom with a partner (94.5%), the pill (79.8%), or withdrawal (65.7%). About one in four women reported ever using long-acting reversible contraception (intrauterine device or contraceptive implant) (24.9%) or emergency contraception (23.5%). The type of methods ever used varied by Hispanic origin and race, nativity among Hispanic women, education, religious affiliation and importance, and urban-rural residence. Among women who had ever discontinued use of the pill or intrauterine devices due to dissatisfaction (and not for seeking a pregnancy), side effects were the most common reason.