Decision-making in contraceptive use among childfree couples: cultural and structural influences in India and Canada

The term 'childfree' differs from 'childless' not only as a distinction between a deliberate choice and a condition caused by circumstances, but it also indicates the ongoing efforts of childfree couples to prevent conception through contraception. The choice to remain childfree develops gradually, and for many, it is not decided at the outset. Thus, questions arise about the contraceptives that couples prefer and whether these preferences change as their decision to stay childfree becomes more certain. To explore this, a thematic analysis was conducted following joint interviews with thirty-six heterosexual childfree couples, eighteen each from India and Canada, to identify patterns in their experiences with choosing diverse modes of contraception. Distinctive birth control strategies emerged in the accounts of childfree couples from Canada and India. Among Canadian participants, it was discovered that they utilised a variety of contraceptives at different stages of their relationship, whereas most Indian participants preferred and relied on the male barrier method. The differences in the preferred methods of contraception, as well as the actually used contraception, highlighted the significance of how individual characteristics such as education, occupation, and income interact with cultural and institutional influence.