Current Contraceptive Status Among Females Ages 15-49: United States, 2022-2023

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Demography
• Public Health Statistics

Background:

• Understanding current contraceptive use is crucial for reproductive health planning and policy.
• The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) provides essential data on family life and reproductive behaviors in the U.S.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a current snapshot of contraceptive use and nonuse among females aged 15-49 in the United States.
• To identify the most prevalent contraceptive methods utilized by this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 5,586 females surveyed in the 2022-2023 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG).
• Statistical analysis performed using SAS-callable SUDAAN software to accommodate the complex survey design.
• Evaluation of differences in percentages using two-tailed t tests and assessment of trends with orthogonal polynomials.

Main Results:

• In 2022-2023, 54.3% of U.S. females aged 15-49 reported current contraceptive use.
• The leading contraceptive methods were female sterilization (11.5%), oral contraceptive pills (11.4%), long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) including implants and IUDs (10.5%), and male condoms (7.1%).

Conclusions:

• Contraceptive use remains prevalent among reproductive-aged females in the U.S.
• A variety of contraceptive methods are utilized, with sterilization, pills, and LARCs being the most common.