Prevalence and Correlation of Contraceptive Use Among Females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of contraceptive use and the correlates of contraceptive use among females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it aimed to evaluate the knowledge about contraceptives and their use.
 Methods: The study was a community-based, cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted in Saudi Arabia from 28 September 2015 to 10 December 2015.
 Results: The current study showed that the most commonly used contraceptives were intrauterine devices (IUD’s) (29.1%), followed by male condoms (27.7%). Most of the participants, 47.6%, started using a contraceptive after giving birth to their first child. Nearby, 60% of participants used contraceptives without a prescription or medical advice. Only 13.7 % of participants sought the advice of a pharmacist about which contraceptive they should use, while 30.6% and 24.2% of participants choose their contraceptive based on general knowledge and relatives’ experiences, respectively. Around 80% of participants stated that they did not have any problem while buying contraceptives from pharmacies without a prescription.
 Conclusion: Pharmacists and medical health providers need to fill this gap to improve the use of contraceptives.