Long-Term Trends in Reproductive Behavior Among Young Women in Four Countries, 1995–2009

Abstract

PurposeIdentification of trends in the ability of young single women to protect themselves from unwelcome pregnancy is essential for evaluation and development of policies and programs. We document trends over a 15-year period in sexual activity, contraceptive use, and reproductive outcomes in four countries for single women aged 15–24 years. MethodsUsing retrospective month-by-month reproductive and contraceptive calendars, we constructed annual sexual, contraceptive, and reproductive profiles. The analysis was applied to all four countries (Colombia, Kenya, Peru, and Zimbabwe) that had collected complete reproductive calendars in three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys. Women-years were classified as sexually inexperienced (i.e., virgin), sexually experienced but using contraception, and sexually experienced without contraception. Conception rates were calculated and those ending in live births were classified as wanted or unwanted. ResultsWhile virginity decreased over time in the Latin American countries, it increased in the African settings. The contribution of condom to the sexually active time protected by contraception use increased in all countries. While the percentage of conceptions ending in spontaneous or induced abortion increased in Colombia and Peru to around 15% of the total pregnancy outcomes, it decreased in the African countries to less than 6%. ConclusionsDelayed sexual debut remains the major restraint on pregnancy in these four countries with the result that conception rates are very low. Condoms remain the most common method of contraception even in the two countries without severe HIV risks and efforts to displace condoms by nonbarrier methods should be pursued with caution.