Arab Republic of Egypt - adolescent contraceptive use

Publication date: 2016

Adolescent contraceptive use DATA FROM THE EGYPT DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY (EDHS), 2014 ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT What can be done to support married Egyptian adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Plan for how, when and where different groups of sexually active adolescents (boys and girls, rural and urban) use and do not use contraception. Learn the reasons why married adolescents are not using contraception, and develop policies and programmes to better address their needs. Understand that married adolescents may get contraception from a variety of sources and ensure that each of these sources can provide high quality services for adolescents. COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Adolescent population: who are they? In the Arab Republic of Egypt, there over 15.6 million adolescents aged 10–19 years – 18.4% of the country’s total population.i Over half of all adolescents live in rural areas, 55.8% of adolescent girls and 57.8% of adolescent boys.i By age 19, the mean number of years of schooling attended by married adolescent girls is 9.2.ii Among married adolescent girls who become parents before age 20, the average age at which they have their first baby is 17.9 years.ii Sexual activity and marital status According to data from the EDHSii, on average, among married adolescents who had sex before age 20, they first have sexual intercourse at age 17.4 years. Among married Egyptian adolescent girls, the mean age of the first marriage is 17.4 years. i Urban and rural population by age and sex, 1980–2015 [online database]. New York (USA): United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division; 2014 (https://esa. un.org/unpd/popdev/urpas/urpas2014.aspx, accessed 4 November 2016). ii Ministry of Health and Population [Egypt], El-Zanaty and Associates [Egypt], ICF International. Egypt Demographic and Health Survey 2014 [Datasets]. EGIR61.DTA. Rockville (MD): ICF International; 2015 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Egypt_Standard-DHS_2014.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Not using Pill Injectable contraceptives Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) Implants IUD Contraceptive use and non-use among adolescent girls FIGURE 1. Use and non-use of contraception: married adolescent girls, aged 15–19 years (%) LISTED FROM LEAST EFFECTIVE TO MOST EFFECTIVE Married According to EDHSii analyses, 38.3% of married adolescent girls report not wanting a child in the next two years, yet only 23.4% of them are currently using any method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a contraceptive method include: • menses has not returned after giving birth (41.8%) • infrequent sex (28.5%) • breastfeeding (10.0%) Among all married adolescent girls aged 15–19, 79.5% are not using a method of contraception. IUDs, one of the most effective methods, and pills are the most common modern methods used (9.8% and 7.1% of these adolescent girls, respectively). Injectable contraceptives are used by 0.9% and lactational amenorrhea (LAM) is used by 1.6% (see Figure 1). Source: analysis of EDHS 2014i 79.5 7.1 0.9 1.6 0.3 9.8 Married adolescents who are using a modern method most often get it from a government facility (59.5%) or a private facility (21.1%). Adolescent contraceptive use A R A B R E P U B L I C O F E G Y P T Use and non-use of contraception married adolescent girls, aged 15-19 million adolescents ages 10-19 15.6 17.4 years for adolescent girls Among married adolescents who had sex before age 20, the average age at first sex is Among married adolescents who become parents before age 20, the average age at first birth is What can be done to support married Egyptian adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Main reasons for not using contraception Report not wanting a child in the next two years Married 38.3% married adolescent girls 21.1% from a private facility Understand that married adolescents may get modern contraception from a variety of sources. Learn the reasons why married adolescents are not using contraception. Plan for how, when, and where different groups of adolescents use or don’t use contraception. ANALYSIS OF THE EGYPT DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY, 2014 COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Ministry of Health and Population [Egypt], El-Zanaty and Associates [Egypt], ICF International. Egypt Demographic and Health Survey 2014 [Datasets]. EGIR61.DTA. Rockville (MD): ICF International; 2015 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/ dataset/Egypt_Standard-DHS_2014.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). 17.9 for adolescent girls LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Married 41.8% menses has not returned after giving birth 28.5% infrequent sex 10.0% breastfeeding Method Married Not using 79.5% Pill 7.1% Injectable contraceptives 0.9% Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) 1.6% Implants 0.3% IUD 9.8% 59.5% from a government facility REASONS FOR NON-USE: Not married Not having sex Infrequent sex Menses has not returned after birth Breastfeeding Fatalistic (up to god) She is opposed Husband/partner is opposed Religious prohibition Knows no method Knows no source Fear of side effects/health concerns Inconvenient to use Others opposed Lack of access/too far SOURCE OF METHOD: Government facility Private facility Pharmacy Shop Friends or parents Other Community Health Worker Icon Directory METHODS: Not using Withdrawal Periodic abstinence Rhythm/calendar Female condom Male condom Standard days/cycle beads Pill Injectable contraceptives Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) Implants IUD Male sterilization Female sterilization © WHO 2016. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence WHO/RHR/16.69 LU_WHO_Template_Text_En-EMRO-Egypt_One Page_2 LU_WHO_Template_Infographic_En_EMRO_Egypt

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