Contraceptive values and preferences of pregnant women, postpartum women, women seeking emergency contraceptives, and women seeking abortion services: A systematic review

Abstract

ObjectiveWe sought to systematically review the literature on contraceptive values and preferences of pregnant women, postpartum women, women seeking emergency contraception, and women seeking abortion services, globally. Study designWe searched ten electronic databases for articles from January 1, 2005 through July 27, 2020 regarding users’ values and preferences for contraception. Results were divided into four sub-groups. ResultsTwenty-three studies from 10 countries met the inclusion criteria. Values and preferences across all four sub-groups were influenced by method effectiveness, access, availability, convenience, cost, side effects, previous experience, partner approval, and societal norms. Similarities and differences were evident across sub-groups, especially concerning contraceptive benefits and side effects. No contraceptive method had all the features users deemed important. Many studies emphasized values and preferences surrounding long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), including convenience of accessing LARCs and concerns about side effect profiles. DiscussionIndividuals must have access to a full range of safe and effective modern contraceptive options, allowing people to make decisions based on evolving contraceptive preferences over time. Future contraception guideline development, policy, and programmatic implementation should continue considering the added influence of these specific reproductive experiences on contraceptive values and preferences of users to improve access, counseling, and method choice.