Adolescent Contraceptive Use in the World: Levels, Trends, Factors Associated, and Method Mix

Hantamalala Rafalimanana, United Nations

Using data from 99 countries, this paper presents an overview of the levels and recent trends in adolescent contraceptive use in the world. It also examines the factors associated with contraceptive use among adolescents as well as the contraceptive methods favored by adolescents. In 2000, it is estimated that only 19 per cent of adolescents living in the less developed regions used contraception compared with 54 per cent of those living in the more developed regions. During the 1990s and the early 2000s, contraceptive use among adolescents barely increased in sub-Saharan Africa and increased slowly in Northern Africa and Asia. By contrast, contraceptive use among adolescents increased rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Consequently, almost half of the adolescents of the region used contraception in 2000. As far as method preferences are concerned, married adolescents use mostly the pill whereas unmarried adolescents prefer to use the condom.