Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Contraception Use And Pregnancy Among 15-24 Year Old South African Women: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Audrey Pettifor, Sophie Pascoe, Helen Rees

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Adolescent reproductive health has not continued to receive the attention it deserves since the start of the HIV epidemic. In South Africa, high numbers of adolescent women report pregnancies that are unwanted and yet few have accessed available termination of pregnancy services. Enabling contraception use is vital for meeting the goals of HIV prevention. Methods A nationally representative survey of South African 15-24 year olds was undertaken. Participants completed a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided an oral fluid sample for HIV testing. Analysis of the data was restricted to women (n = 6217), particularly those who reported being …