Contraceptive: Married women most likely to opt for ‘withdrawal method’ – GSS report

The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has shed light on contraception preferences among married women, highlighting notable differences between urban and rural areas.

According to the findings, urban married women in Ghana exhibit a higher preference for the 'pullout' method or withdrawal as a traditional contraception method compared to their rural counterparts.

The survey indicates that 10% of urban married women opt for traditional methods, such as periodic abstinence, withdrawal, and lactational amenorrhea, whereas the figure stands at 7% for rural married women.

In contrast, the use of modern contraception methods slightly favours rural areas, with 29% of currently married women in rural regions utilising modern methods compared to 27% in urban areas.

The study categorises modern contraception methods to include oral contraceptive pills, implants, injectables, contraceptive patches and vaginal rings, intrauterine devices (IUDs), female and male condoms, female and male sterilisation, and vaginal barrier methods, among others.

Among currently married women, injectables and implants emerge as the most commonly chosen modern methods, each accounting for 8%, followed by oral contraceptive pills at 4%, and female sterilisation at 3%.

Overall, the survey reveals that 36% of currently married women in Ghana are using some form of contraception, with 28% utilising modern methods and 9% opting for traditional methods.

Additionally, the study highlights that the total demand for family planning among currently married women stands at 60%.

An interesting observation from the report is the urban-rural divide, emphasising the need for targeted family planning initiatives that consider regional disparities in contraception choices among Ghanaian married women.