Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Volume 34, Number 6, November/December 2002

 

Contraceptive Use Among U.S. Women
Having Abortions in 2000-2001
TABLES

TABLE 1. Percentage distribution of women obtaining abortions in 2000, by contraceptive method used in the month of conception, and of women at risk of unintended pregnancy in 1995, by contraceptive method used
Method Women having abortions, 2000 Women at risk of unintended pregnancy, 1995†
Any method 53.7 92.5
Long-acting 1.1 40.5
Sterilization 0.1 35.8
IUD 0.1 0.7
Implant/injectable 0.9 4.0
Pill 13.6 24.9
Male condom 27.6 18.9
Withdrawal 7.3 2.8
Periodic abstinence 2.2 2.1
Other‡ 1.9 3.3
No method 46.3 7.5
Never used 8.1 0.1
Previously used 38.2§ 7.4
Total 100.0 100.0
Unweighted N 10,683 7,725
Weighted N (in 000s) 1,313 41,796
†Based on special tabulations from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Includes women using a contraceptive method in the survey month and fertile women using no method who had intercourse in the previous three months and were not pregnant, seeking pregnancy or postpartum and whose partner was not sterile. ‡Female condom, diaphragm, foam, sponge, suppository or any other method. §Includes women who used only emergency contraceptive pills to prevent the current pregnancy. Source: Weighted number of women having abortions from reference 5.

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TABLE 2. Percentage distribution of women obtaining abortions, by contraceptive use in the month of conception, and odds ratios from logistic regression analysis predicting the likelihood of contraceptive nonuse--all according to selected characteristics
Characteristic N Not using Using Total Odds ratio
Total Never used Previously used
All 10,683 46.3 8.1 38.2 53.7 100.0 na
Age
<18 756 48.9* 18.5*** 30.4** 51.1 100.0 0.81
18-19 1,291 50.4** 11.9*** 38.6 49.6 100.0 1.07
20-24 3,570 46.7* 7.2 39.5 53.3 100.0 1.05
25-29 2,449 45.2 6.1 39.0 54.8 100.0 1.01
>=30 (ref) 2,617 44.1 6.5 37.5 55.9 100.0 1.00
Union status
Married (ref) 1,806 43.6 8.3 35.2 56.4 100.0 1.00
Cohabiting† 2,726 46.6 6.2* 40.4** 53.4 100.0 1.05
Previously married‡ 1,168 47.6 5.5** 42.1*** 52.4 100.0 1.20*
Never-married 4,983 46.8* 9.8 37.1 53.2 100.0 1.02
Poverty status§
<100% 2,876 52.3*** 11.2*** 41.1*** 47.7 100.0 1.14
100-199% 3,321 47.2*** 8.5*** 38.7** 52.8 100.0 1.09
200-299% 1,908 45.2** 7.4*** 37.8* 54.8 100.0 1.11
>=300% (ref) 2,578 39.6 5.0 34.6 60.4 100.0 1.00
Race/ethnicity
White (ref) 4,355 38.7 4.3 34.3 61.3 100.0 1.00
Black 3,353 51.9*** 8.0*** 43.9*** 48.1 100.0 1.65***
Hispanic 2,213 51.5*** 13.1*** 38.4* 48.5 100.0 1.45***
Other 762 50.4*** 16.6*** 33.8 49.6 100.0 1.66***
Education
<H.S. 2,105 54.2*** 16.3*** 37.9** 45.8 100.0 1.92***
H.S. graduate 3,336 51.6*** 8.6*** 42.9*** 48.4 100.0 1.66***
Some college 3,862 41.0* 4.5 36.4** 59.0 100.0 1.12
College graduate (ref) 1,380 37.0 4.9 32.1 63.0 100.0 1.00
Fertility intentions
Intend no (more) children (ref) 2,765 45.6 6.3 39.3 54.4 100.0 1.00
Intend (more) children 5,502 46.6 9.0*** 37.5 53.4 100.0 1.06
Do not know 2,416 46.5 8.3* 38.2 53.5 100.0 1.02
*p<.05. **p<.01. ***p<.001. †Based on single women only. ‡Includes separated women. §Percentage of federal poverty level. Notes: Ns are unweighted. na=not applicable. ref=reference category for both t-tests and the logistic regression analysis.

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TABLE 3. Percentage of women obtaining abortions who had not been using a contraceptive method in the month of conception, by reported reasons for nonuse
Reason %
(N=4,957)
Perceived low risk 33.1
Didn't think I would get pregnant at the time 28.3
Thought I or my partner was sterile 5.8
Concerns about contraceptive methods 32.3
Problems with methods in the past 20.2
Afraid of side effects from methods 13.3
Thought methods would make sex less fun 3.1
Thought methods would be difficult to use 1.1
Thought methods would be too messy 0.6
Unexpected/unwanted sex 26.5
Didn't expect to have sex at the time 25.6
Was forced to have sex 1.3
Ambivalence about contraception 21.5
Never got around to getting a method 14.6
Never thought about using a method 6.7
Didn't use or stopped using a method 2.6
Problems accessing contraception 12.0
Financial† 7.9
Didn't know where to get a method 2.1
Ran out/didn't get method/didn't get refill 2.5
Partner preferences 10.4
Partner didn't want to use a method 7.1
Partner didn't want me to use a method 2.4
Partner wanted me to get pregnant 2.9
Ambivalence about pregnancy 4.7
Thought I might want to get pregnant 4.0
Didn't care if I got pregnant 1.2
Parents 2.4
Afraid my parents would find out I was having sex 2.4
†For example, methods too expensive, insurance ran out, no money. Notes: Percentages may add to more than subtotals because women could indicate more than one reason for nonuse. Women who indicated "other," unspecified reasons for contraceptive nonuse (2% of all nonusers) are not shown but are included in the denominator.

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TABLE 4. Percentage of women obtaining abortions who had not been using a contraceptive method in the month of conception, by selected characteristics, according to reported reasons for nonuse
Characteristic Perceived low risk Method concersn Unexpected/unwanted sex Ambivalence about contraception Access problems Partner Preferences Ambivalence about pregnacy Parents
All 33.1 32.3 26.5 21.5 12.0 10.4 4.7 2.4
Age
<18 38.9 26.0 44.0*** 27.9*** 12.6 7.2** 5.1 15.5***
18-19 37.5 37.2** 28.3 26.5*** 13.3 13.0 4.8 5.9***
20-24 30.7* 32.4 25.8 25.9*** 12.5 9.6 3.5*** 0.9
25-29 30.0* 34.8** 21.1* 16.5 12.3 10.2 3.7** 0.2
>=30 (ref) 35.2 29.3 26.1 15.3 10.1 11.3 7.1 0.6
Union status
Married (ref) 29.2 30.6 16.5 17.9 11.6 12.2 8.4 0.0
Cohabiting† 31.7 36.0* 15.8 21.2 14.5 12.1 5.5* 0.7**
Previously married‡ 35.9* 32.6 39.8*** 13.4* 10.6 9.2 6.3 0.7*
Never-married 34.5* 30.9 32.5*** 24.9*** 11.1 9.2* 2.6*** 4.6***
Poverty status§
<100% 33.6 34.1 27.7 21.9 14.2*** 11.9* 4.2* 2.6
100-199% 32.0 32.9 26.7 22.7 13.8*** 10.7 4.6* 2.8
200-299% 31.8 30.6 26.5 20.3 10.8** 8.7 3.8** 2.0
>=300% (ref) 35.0 30.6 24.5 20.4 7.1 9.1 6.3 1.9
Race/ethnicity
White (ref) 33.9 30.6 27.6 21.5 12.9 11.2 5.3 2.0
Black 31.7 33.0 25.4 18.8 11.4 8.2** 4.2 1.6
Hispanic 32.9 34.5 28.5 22.4 12.6 13.0 3.9 4.5***
Other 36.3 31.0 21.6 32.0*** 8.9** 10.2 6.9 2.0
Prior method
Injectable 28.4*** 36.7*** 28.5 20.0 18.5*** 8.7* 2.7** 0.2**
Pill 28.4*** 34.5*** 20.5*** 20.2 15.9*** 7.9*** 4.3 0.5*
Condom (ref) 40.6 25.3 31.3 20.1 5.1 12.6 5.6 1.2
Withdrawal 43.3 35.8** 23.5* 19.5 5.1 18.8** 6.1 2.0
None 32.2** 34.1** 31.3 29.3*** 12.0*** 9.5 5.6 10.1***
*p<.05. **p<.01. ***p<.001. †Based on single women only. ‡Includes separated women. §Percentage of federal poverty level. Note: ref=reference category.

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TABLE 5. Percentage distribution of women obtaining abortions, by contraceptive use and method used in the month of conception, according to selected characteristics
Characteristic Using Not using Total
Any method Pill Male condom Other
All 53.7 13.6 27.6 12.5 46.3 100.0
Age
<18 51.1 8.8* 35.3*** 7.1*** 48.9 100.0
18-19 49.6 12.1 28.2 9.4*** 50.4 100.0
20-24 53.3 15.4*** 27.5 10.3*** 46.7 100.0
25-29 54.8 15.0** 26.5 13.3*** 45.2 100.0
>=30 (ref) 55.9 12.0 26.1 17.9 44.1 100.0
Union status
Married (ref) 56.4 13.3 25.6 17.5 43.6 100.0
Cohabiting† 53.4 16.9** 24.0 12.5*** 46.6 100.0
Previously married‡ 52.4 12.3 26.8 13.4** 47.6 100.0
Never-married 53.2 12.2 30.4** 10.5*** 46.8 100.0
Poverty status§
<100% 47.7 12.7*** 25.1** 9.9*** 52.3 100.0
100-199% 52.8 12.8*** 27.7 12.3** 47.2 100.0
200-299% 54.8 13.2* 28.7 12.9* 45.2 100.0
>=300% (ref) 60.4 15.8 29.3 15.4 39.6 100.0
Race/ethnicity
White (ref) 61.3 16.7 30.1 14.5 38.7 100.0
Black 48.1 11.4*** 26.9* 9.8*** 51.9 100.0
Hispanic 48.5 12.4*** 23.3*** 12.9 51.5 100.0
Other 49.6 9.0*** 27.7 12.9 50.4 100.0
Education
<H.S. 45.8 10.2*** 26.2 9.4*** 54.2 100.0
H.S. graduate 48.4 12.8 25.2** 10.5*** 51.6 100.0
Some college 59.0 15.8 29.4 13.8*** 41.0 100.0
College graduate (ref) 63.0 14.7 29.9 18.5 37.0 100.0
Fertility intentions
Intend no (more) children (ref) 54.4 12.9 27.2 14.3 45.6 100.0
Intend (more) children 53.4 13.5 28.3 11.5** 46.6 100.0
Do not know 53.5 14.6 26.1 12.8 46.5 100.0
*p<.05. **p<.01. ***p<.001. †Based on single women only. ‡Includes separated women. §Percentage of federal poverty level. Note: ref=reference category.

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TABLE 6. Percentages of pill and condom users obtaining abortions, by perceived reasons for pregnancy
Reason %
PILL USERS (N=1,458)
Perfect use/method failed 12.7
Inconsistent use 75.9
Forgot to take pills 45.1
Away from home and didn't have pills 15.9
Ran out of supplies 10.3
Sick 7.7
Didn't think I would have sex again 2.1
Didn't feel like taking pills 1.6
Partner didn't want me to take 0.3
Thought I might want to get pregnant 0.2
Other reason 3.6
Other† 14.9
CONDOM USERS (N=2,945)
Perfect use/method failed 13.5
Inconsistent use 49.3
Didn't think I would get pregnant 20.4
Didn't have it with me 14.3
Not expecting to have sex 12.8
Forgot 7.1
Didn't feel like using 5.6
Partner didn't feel like using 3.5
Partner was supposed to bring 1.0
Partner wanted me to get pregnant 1.0
I was forced to have sex 0.5
Thought I might want to get pregnant 0.5
Didn't care if I got pregnant 0.3
Other reason 1.8
Condom broke/slipped 41.6
Other‡ 3.2
†Included use with other drugs or antibiotics, absorption problems (vomiting or diarrhea), change of pill or dose, and not finishing first pack. ‡Included incorrect use and use of lambskin condoms and expired condoms. Note: Users could indicate more than one reason for imperfect use.

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TABLE 7. Odds ratios from logistic regression analyses indicating the likelihood of inconsistent pill and condom use, and condom breakage or slippage, by selected characteristics of women obtaining abortions
Characteristic Inconsistent pill use Inconsistent condom use Condom breakage or slippage
Age
<18 0.37 0.34** 0.47*
18-19 0.66 1.02 1.06
20-24 0.76 0.88 0.89
25-29 0.66 1.11 1.15
>=30 (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Union status
Married (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Cohabiting† 1.29 1.05 1.53*
Previously married‡ 0.92 1.22 2.07***
Never-married 1.22 1.06 1.39*
Poverty status§
<100% 1.50 1.50* 1.33
100-199% 1.35 1.29 1.25
200-299% 1.52 1.11 1.30
>=300% (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Race/ethnicity
White (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Black 2.14** 2.06*** 2.11***
Hispanic 2.12** 1.18 1.12
Other 0.99 1.19 0.63
Education
<H.S. 2.10* 1.77 2.12*
H.S. graduate 1.46 1.09 1.12
Some college 1.23 0.97 1.14
College graduate (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Fertility intentions
Intend no (more) children (ref) 1.00 1.00 1.00
Intend (more) children 1.16 2.26*** 2.03***
Do not know 1.28 1.21 1.30
Months used†† 0.99* 1.00 1.01
*p<.05. **p<.01. ***p<.001. †Based on single women only. ‡Includes separated women. §Percentage of federal poverty level. ††Number of months of method use was treated as a continuous variable. Notes: Imperfect users are compared with perfect users in the logistic regression analyses. ref=reference category.

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