Working Title:

The Determinants of Contraceptive Method Choice and Cessation Among Filipino Women Ages
15 to 49 years old in Brgy. ________

Introduction

I. Background of the Study

In the Philippines, reproductive age constitute a large and growing proportion of Filipino
inhabitants; thus, their knowledge and use of contraceptives have major implications for both
public health and population growth. Inculcation of the said knowledge however, depends on
many factors; in which the source of legitimate information is one. Sex education, as part of the
life skills education on sexual behaviour should form part of a total health-care strategy. The
lack of information about sexual behaviour and contraception leads to sexual dysfunction,
sexual abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. (Williams and Mavundla 1999:58-59)

As the country’s populace is getting bigger by the day and young adults getting more
exposed to the cosmopolitan way of living, these young men and women have been making
reproductive choices that have an enormous impact on their health, schooling, employment
prospects and overall transition to adulthood. These choices are significantly tied with the sex
education they had obtained in school or other sources of information, as well as school and
work opportunities. Together, these factors significantly influence these young women’s and
men’s marriage timing, quality of parenthood and ability to contribute to their families and
society as well. Young women’s reproductive choices are especially important, as early
childbearing can impair their health and limit their prospects for productive participation in
society.

Some literature suggests that, in general, sexually active unmarried adolescents are not
seeking to become pregnant, and married adolescents wish not to become pregnant at a young
age or, if they have already had a child, wish to delay a second pregnancy. On a related topic,
several survey results show that Filipino women across all socioeconomic classes desire fewer
children and would like to use modern contraceptives, yet only 50.6 percent of Filipino women of
reproductive age (15-49 years old) practice traditional and/or modern family planning methods.
(FPS 2006)

In general, older women who want to stop childbearing are more likely to choose permanent
methods (sterilization), while younger women, who more often want to space rather than limit
births, usually prefer reversible methods (especially pills). Higher parity women, who are more
likely to have the number of children they want, tend to favor modern methods (especially
injections). Women who are legally married are more likely to use modern methods (especially
natural methods, pills, and IUDs) than women living in consensual unions.

Contraceptive continuation over sustained periods of time is not assured, and cessation
occurs for reasons of failure, method features, such as side effects or convenience of use, or
change in need. Some women stop using altogether or immediately switch to another method,
whereas others experience a gap in pregnancy protection of a month or more. Discontinuation
is a particularly important issue for adolescents and young women because they tend to have
more limited access than older individuals to family planning, as well as more unpredictable and
irregular sexual activity, and are probably less knowledgeable about how to use contraceptive
methods effectively. According to a study of six developing countries, women younger than 25
were more likely than others to stop using their contraceptive method after 24 months.

In this study, we provide an overview of country-level change in sexual activity,

contraceptive use and cessation among females in the developing world.

II. Statement of the Problem:

1. What is the proportion of women using oral contraceptive pills, injectables, intrauterine
device, natural family planning and condom?

2. What is the rate of contraceptive adoption, current use and contraceptive cessation among
women?

3. What proportions of contraceptive users stop using, switch methods or experience a

contraceptive failure, and how do these proportions compare with those for older users?
 III. Objective of the Study:

General Objective:

To determine contraceptive use dynamics among Filipino Women Ages 15 to 49 years old in
Brgy. ________

Specific Objectives:

1. To determine the percentage of women using oral contraceptive pills,

injectables, intrauterine devices, natural family planning and condoms
2. To determine levels of and trends of contraceptive use according to:
a. Age group
b. Work status
c. Wealth index
d. Religion
e. Type of union

3. To determine the reasons for preference of one contraceptive method over another
4. To determine the reasons for discontinuance of a selected contraceptive method

IV. Significance of the Study

1. This study will provide better understanding about contraceptive use dynamics, including
timing, duration, and interaction of reproductive events which may be important than
contraceptive technique in the social, cultural, and economic context of fertility control
2. It will establish measurements of contraceptive use dynamics (cessation and its reasons,
contraceptive failure, and switching after discontinuation) among five different
contraceptive methods.

V. Hypothesis