Research highlights a shift to less reliable ‘natural’ contraception methods among abortion patients

There was a shift away from using extra dependable hormonal strategies of contraception to much less dependable fertility consciousness strategies amongst girls requesting abortion in England and Wales over the previous 5 years, reveals analysis revealed on-line within the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Well being.

Use of the Tablet, mini Tablet, implants, patches, and vaginal rings has given method to extra ‘pure’ strategies, similar to interval monitoring apps that spotlight month-to-month peak fertility/ovulation, the findings point out.

Whereas additional analysis is required to grasp the explanations driving these modifications, the tendencies correspond to an increase in abortion charges, with wider implications for well being care providers, conclude the researchers.

Worldwide, girls appear to be more and more reluctant to make use of hormonal strategies of contraception, notice the researchers. In 2010, round half of girls of reproductive age within the UK have been utilizing the Tablet. Since then, its use has steadily declined.

Anecdotal proof suggests that girls are more and more turning to extra ‘pure’ fertility consciousness strategies of contraception, largely influenced by social media, say the researchers.

However the typical failure fee for these strategies ranges from two to 23 in each 100 girls within the first yr of use in contrast with seven in 100 girls for the Tablet/implants and fewer than one in 100 for the coil (intrauterine units), they clarify.

To seek out out what contraceptive strategies girls requesting abortion in England and Wales have been utilizing once they fell pregnant, the researchers in contrast information from the British Being pregnant Advisory Service for the durations January to June 2018 (33,495 girls) and January to June 2023 (55,055 girls).

Fewer younger girls (aged 25 or beneath) requested an abortion from a BPAS facility in 2023 than in 2018. However the proportion of girls who hadn’t had a earlier abortion fell from 62% in 2018 to 59% in 2023.

The proportion of girls of minority ethnicity rose between 2018 and 2023, as did the proportion of medical abortions requested. And the proportion of girls who have been at seven or fewer weeks of being pregnant was considerably larger in 2023 than in 2018, rising from practically 37% to only over 59%.

A large shift within the strategies used for contraception occurred between 2018 and 2023, the information confirmed.

Reported use of fertility consciousness primarily based strategies across the time of conception elevated from 0.4% in 2018 to 2.5% in 2023, whereas the age of these utilizing these strategies fell from practically 30 to 27.

Using hormonal strategies fell from slightly below 19% in 2018 to only over 11% in 2023. Use of long-acting reversible contraceptive implants additionally fell from 3% to 0.6% over this era.

And people who stated they hadn’t used any type of contraception once they fell pregnant considerably elevated by 14%, rising from 56% in 2018 to just about 70% in 2023.

That is an observational examine, precluding agency conclusions to be drawn about trigger and impact. And the researchers acknowledge that abortion sufferers could not mirror the sexually lively inhabitants typically. Additionally they spotlight that the exact fertility consciousness methodology used wasn’t recorded, so the rise in using app applied sciences can solely be assumed.

“The shift in desire in the direction of [fertility awareness methods] is coupled with reported will increase in problem in accessing the more practical strategies of contraception following the COVID-19 pandemic because of workforce modifications and a discount in major care and sexual well being care capabilities,” level out the researchers.

“The amalgamation of a shift in attitudes and problem in accessing sure strategies has led to growing use of much less dependable strategies, which, in flip, has the potential to extend unintended pregnancies,” they add.

They conclude, “Whereas the rise in abortion charges is multifactorial, one facet that wants scrutiny is any change in contraceptive use, and notably this surge in using ehealth, together with fertility apps, interval tracker apps, and pure household planning apps.

“The potential relationship between these much less efficient strategies of contraception and unplanned being pregnant requires additional investigation. Nevertheless, informing the general public concerning the efficacy of such strategies in an effort to facilitate knowledgeable contraceptive selections is required.”