Republic of the Philippines - adolescent contraceptive use

Publication date: 2016

Adolescent contraceptive use DATA FROM THE PHILIPPINES DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY (PDHS), 2013 R E PU B LI C O F TH E P H I LI P PI N E S What can be done to support Filipino adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Plan for how, when and where different groups of sexually active adolescents (married and unmarried, boys and girls, rural and urban) use and do not use contraception. Learn the reasons why adolescents are not using contraception, and develop policies and programmes to better address their needs. Understand that 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 Republic of the Philippines, there are 21.6 million adolescents aged 10–19 years – 21.3% of the country’s total population.i Over half of all adolescents live in rural areas, 55.9% of adolescent girls and 57.9% of adolescent boys.i By age 19, the mean number of years of schooling attended by adolescent girls is 10.1.ii Among adolescent girls who become parents before age 20, the average age at which they have their first baby is 17.8 years.ii Sexual activity and marital status Analysis of data from the PDHSii shows that nearly 608 000 Filipino adolescent girls aged 15–19 are currently sexually active – they are either unmarried and have had sex in the last three months or they are in a union (i.e. married or living together). On average, among adolescent girls who had sex before age 20, they first have sexual intercourse at age 17.3 years. Among unmarried adolescent girls, 5.5% report ever having sex and 2.3% are currently sexually active. Among all Filipino adolescent girls, 9.7% are in a union. Among these adolescent girls, the mean age of the first union is 17.2 years. Contraceptive use and non-use among adolescent girls FIGURE 1. Use and non-use of contraception: unmarried sexually active adolescent girls, aged 15–19 years (%) Not using Withdrawal Male condom Pill Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) IUD FIGURE 2. Use and non-use of contraception: adolescent girls in union, aged 15–19 years (%) LISTED FROM LEAST EFFECTIVE TO MOST EFFECTIVE LISTED FROM LEAST EFFECTIVE TO MOST EFFECTIVE Unmarried, sexually active According to PDHSii analyses, of the less than 3% of adolescent girls that are unmarried and sexually active, 80.5% report not wanting a child in the next two years, yet only 30.5% of them are currently using any method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a contraceptive method include: • not married (56.2%) • infrequent sex (32.9%) • not having sex (16.6%) Among all unmarried, sexually active adolescent girls aged 15–19, 68.7% are not using a method of contraception. Male condoms and pills are the most common modern methods used (6.7% and 5.1% of these adolescent girls, respectively). IUDs, one of the most effective methods, are used by 0.8%. Withdrawal, a traditional method, is used by 16.8% of these adolescent girls (see Figure 1). In union According to PDHSii analyses, 70.9% of adolescent girls in a union report not wanting a child in the next two years, yet only 45.5% of them are currently using any method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a contraceptive method include: • fear of side-effects or health concerns (26.5%) • menses has not returned after giving birth (21.9%) • breastfeeding (11.9%) Among all adolescent girls in a union aged 15–19, 63.5% are not using a method of contraception. Pills and injectable contraceptives are the most common modern methods used (11.5% and 5.6% of these adolescent girls, respectively), while 1.5% are using IUDs, one of the most effective methods. Withdrawal, a traditional method, is being used by 15.2% (see Figure 2). 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 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), ICF International. Philippines Demographic and Health Survey 2013 [Datasets]. PHIR61.DTA. Rockville (MD): ICF International; 2014 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Philippines_Standard-DHS_2013.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). Not using Withdrawal Male condom Pill Injectable contraceptives Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) IUD 0.7 11.5 1.3 1.5 5.6 15.2 63.5 68.7 16.8 6.7 5.1 1.9 0.8 LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Source: analysis of PDHS 2013ii Source: analysis of PDHS 2013ii Unmarried, sexually active adolescents who are using a modern method most often get it from a pharmacy (54.3%) or a private facility (19.2%). Adolescents in a union who are using a modern method most often get it from a government facility (44.4%) or a pharmacy (36.1%). Adolescent contraceptive use R E P U B L I C O F T H E P H I L I P P I N E S Use and non-use of contraception adolescent girls, aged 15-19 million adolescents ages 10-19 21.6 17.3 years for adolescent girls Among adolescents who had sex before age 20, the average age at first sex is Among adolescents who become parents before age 20, the average age at first birth is What can be done to support Filipino adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Main reasons for not using contraception Report not wanting a child in the next two years Sexually active, unmarried In union 80.5% sexually active, unmarried adolescent girls 70.9% adolescent girls in union 36.1% from a pharmacy 19.2% from a private facility Understand that adolescents may get modern contraception from a variety of sources. Learn the reasons why adolescents are not using contraception. Plan for how, when, and where different groups of adolescents use or don’t use contraception. ANALYSIS OF THE PHILIPPINES DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY, 2013-14 COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), ICF International. Philippines Demographic and Health Survey 2013 [Datasets]. PHIR61.DTA. Rockville (MD): ICF International; 2014 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Philippines_Standard- DHS_2013.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). 17.8 for adolescent girls LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Sexually active, unmarried In union 56.2% not married 26.5% fear of side- effects or health concerns 32.9% infrequent sex 21.9% menses has not returned after giving birth 16.6% fear of side- effects or health concerns 11.9% breastfeeding Method Sexually active, unmarried In union Not using 68.7% 63.5% Withdrawal 16.8% 15.2% Male condom 6.7% 0.7% Pill 5.1% 11.5% Injectable contraceptives -- 5.6% Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) 1.9% 1.3% IUD 0.8% 1.5% 44.4% from a government facility 54.3% 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/16.68

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