Republic of Maldives - adolescent contraceptive use

Publication date: 2016

Adolescent contraceptive use DATA FROM THE MALDIVES DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY (MDHS), 2009 R E P U B L I C O F M A L D I V E S What can be done to support married Maldivian 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. Adolescent population: who are they? In the Republic of Maldives, there over 64 000 adolescents aged 10–19 years – 17.8% of the country’s total population.i Over half of all adolescents live in rural areas, 53.3% of adolescent girls and 56.8% of adolescent boys.i By age 19, the mean number of years of schooling attended by married adolescent girls is 9.5.ii Among married adolescents who become parents before age 20, the average age at which Maldivian girls have their first baby is 18.4 years.ii Sexual activity and marital status According to data from the MDHSii, on average, among married adolescents who had sex before age 20, adolescent girls first have sexual intercourse at age 18.2 years. Among married Maldivian adolescent girls, the mean age of the first marriage is 18.2 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 Family [Maldives], ICF Macro. Maldives Demographic and Health Survey 2009 [Datasets]. MVIR51.DTA. Calverton (MD): ICF International; 2010 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Maldives_Standard-DHS_2009.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). 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 MDHSii analyses, 35.1% of married adolescent girls report not wanting a child in the next two years, yet only 11.1% of them are currently using any method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a method include: • she is opposed (41.4%) • fear of side-effects or health concerns (22.9%) • husband is opposed (4.8%) Among all married adolescent girls aged 15–19, 85.0% are not using a method of contraception. Male condoms are the most common modern method used (6.8% of these adolescent girls). Pills are used by 1.6% and injectable contraceptives are used by 1.2%. Traditional methods (withdrawal or periodic abstinence) are used by 5.4% of these adolescent girls (see Figure 1). Source: analysis of MDHS 2009ii Not using Withdrawal Periodic abstinence Male condom Pill Injectable contraceptives 4.7 0.7 1.21.6 6.8 85.0 COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Married adolescents who are using a modern method most often get it from a pharmacy (57.4%) or a government facility (23.3%). Adolescent contraceptive use R E P U B L I C O F M A L D I V E S Use and non-use of contraception married adolescent girls, aged 15-19 million adolescents ages 10-19 0.06 18.2 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 Maldivian adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Main reasons for not using contraception Report not wanting a child in the next two years Married 35.1% married adolescent girls 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 MALDIVES DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY, 2009 COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Ministry of Health and Family [Maldives], ICF Macro. Maldives Demographic and Health Survey 2009 [Datasets]. MVIR51.DTA. Calverton (MD): ICF International; 2010 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Maldives_Standard- DHS_2009.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). 18.4 for adolescent girls LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Married 41.4% she is opposed 22.9% fear of side-effects or health concerns 4.8% husband is opposed Method Married Not using 85.0% Withdrawal 4.7% Periodic abstinence 0.7% Male condom 6.8% Pill 1.6% Injectable contraceptives 1.2% 23.3% from a government facility 57.4% from a pharmacy 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/16.66 LU_WHO_Template_Text_En-SEARO-Maldives_Page LU_WHO_Template_Infographic_En-SEARO-Maldives

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