Patterns of Contraceptives Use and Their Complications in Iraqi Reproductive Age Women

Abstract

Contraceptives are the methods, medicines, or devices which are used to prevent pregnancy. The women can select any kind from the available contraceptives. The objectives are to investigate the types of contraceptive methods used by Iraqi women of reproductive age and to throw lights on their complications. A cross-sectional study had been done in the outpatient department of gynecology and obstetrics of Maternity and Children Hospital in Al-Diwaniya city on 400 women of reproductive age between (16-45) years during the period from 20th of September 2016 to 30th of March 2017. A questionnaire distributed among participating women. All the involved women gave their informed consent after describing the aim of the study and ensuring the confidentiality of the data. The data were gathered and analyzed statistically. The study revealed that the most commonly used contraceptives were oral pills, the intrauterine device (IUD), injections, and the condom (53.7%, 35,7%, 7.5%, 3%), respectively. Oral pills are the most commonly used method in all age groups. The complications were present in (55.0%) of women of reproductive age, and they were present in (69.2 %) of users of the Intra-Uterine Device followed by pills users (45.5%). The most common complications for the oral contraceptives were pain, malaise, and psychiatric disturbances (21.8%, 10.6%, 8.3%), respectively, while in the case of Intra-Uterine Device, the most common complications were bleeding and infection (31.4%, 21.6%) respectively. Injection contraceptive users had suffered from the infection (14.3%). The women’s age, residence, level of education, occupation, and economic status show a significant association with the use of contraceptives methods. The oral contraceptive pills and Intra-Uterine Device are the most frequently used contraceptives. The most common complaints were bleeding, infection, and pain. There is a significant association between the use of contraceptives methods and the women’s age, residence, level of education, occupation, and economic status.