Contraceptive discontinuation among Honduran women who use reversible methods.

A panel study examining the effects of women's individual characteristics, side effects experienced, and service quality on their contraceptive discontinuation was undertaken in four urban areas of Honduras. Data were collected from October 2006 to December 2007. The baseline sample consisted of 800 women aged 15-44 who were new or continuing users of an injectable contraceptive, the IUD, or an oral contraceptive. A total of 671 women (84 percent) were reinterviewed after one year. Life tables and Cox proportional hazards models were used to present discontinuation rates and factors associated with contraceptive discontinuation. Among new users, discontinuation of the baseline method at 12 months was high (45 percent), especially for users of an injectable method (50 percent). In the hazards model, service quality had little effect on discontinuation, whereas individual characteristics and the experience of specific side effects showed significant effects. The results suggest that programs should emphasize continuous contraceptive coverage rather than continuous use of a particular method.