Peripartum contraceptive attitudes and practices

During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women may be more receptive to different methods of contraception for postpartum use. Few studies have focused on the peripartum population. In this study, currently pregnant and postpartum women were surveyed about their attitudes toward contraception, particularly in relation to the index pregnancy. Important contraceptive attributes for women included reliability, efficacy, and safety during breast-feeding, especially in the postpartum period. Over 80% of women surveyed were using contraception prior to pregnancy, but nearly 20% were not satisfied with the method used. Dissatisfaction with their method was more likely among women whose pregnancy was unplanned (36% vs. 9%). Over 40% of peripartum women indicated a desire to change their contraceptive after delivery. Sixty-five percent of women had received only limited information about intrauterine contraception before the survey. The results indicate that childbirth has a profound effect on contraceptive priorities and desires, especially toward long-term methods.