Background: providers and policy makers to identify programs and plan capable to balance birth could use Information about women’s beliefs and preferences regarding their choice of birth control methods. The aim of the current study is to investigate socio-behavioral and reproductive factors influencing the choice of contraceptive methods among a large number of Tehranian women.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 2551 women divided into five groups according to their birth control methods, which included: hormonal, mechanical, natural, permanent and mixed methods of contraception. All socio-demographic, behavioral and reproductive data were extracted from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study data bank.
Results: The mean age of subjects was 39.4±10.5 Hormonal(0.66%) and natural (37.12%) methods were the least and most popular methods among participants, respectively. The odds of hormonal (OR: 0.96 95%CI: 0.94-0.98), mechanical (OR: 0.97) and mixed methods (OR: 0.91) declined with increasing age. Compared with higher educated women, participants with secondary school (OR: 2.08) education were more likely to use permanent methods. Women with 3-5 living children had more tendencies to use permanent contraception. The past history of abortion decreased the odds of choosing hormonal methods of contraception(OR: 0.60).
Conclusion: Age, education, parity, number of living children, abortion and smoking are associated with choice of contraceptive methods among Tehranian women and these information could be used for family planning. Keywords: Socio-behavioral determinants, Reproductive, Contraception.