Women's awareness and rate of the use of contraception in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: The prevention of unplanned pregnancies brings many benefits for women and their families alike, as well as for society in general. However, recent statistics indicate a need for increased knowledge and use of contraception in addition to the introduction of educational family planning services in the countries of the Middle East. Objectives: This review sought to explore women's awareness and rates of contraceptive use in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and to determine whether and to what extent women currently receive counseling on modern contraception at health-care facilities in KSA. Methods: Three electronic databases – MEDLINE, ProQuest Central, and PubMed – were searched, in addition to the academic search engine Google Scholar. Three reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies, abstracted study data, and assessed study quality. Results: Thirteen studies were identified for inclusion in this review; overall, these studies were cross-sectional and showed awareness and use of contraception to be at a relatively low level in KSA. Conclusion: Although the few studies that were identified for inclusion in this review reported a relatively low level of awareness and rate of use of contraception in KSA, each conclusion was supported by high-quality research with low risk of bias. Overall, this review has shed light on the gaps in studies that have been conducted in KSA on modern contraception.