Contraceptive use in women under 20 years of age: A study in Iran

Contraception methods are one of the most important factors in population control. A choice of the safe and effective methods available to adolescents may guarantee their safety. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the rate and kind of contraceptive methods used by women under 20 years of age and finding the related demographic factors. A total of 500 women who finished the study were evaluated regarding the rate of contraceptive use, which method was used and the probable demographic-related factors. More than half (51.6%) of the women used contraception. The most common method was breast-feeding (27.1%), although only 2.8% had enough knowledge about breast-feeding as a contraceptive method. Other common methods used were IUD (intrauterine device) (24.8%) and the withdrawal method (24.8%). The usage of contraception was directly related to the number of pregnancies, the age of marriage and the woman's age at first pregnancy. It related indirectly to the level of education, the number of brothers and sisters and size of the family, socioeconomic status, the age of the mother when married and the age of menarche.