Open access journal of contraception最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of Facility-Based Group Postpartum and Postabortion Counselling Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Southwestern Uganda: A Quasi-Experimental Study.","authors":"Elizabeth Kemigisha, Rupa Ramachandran, Shakila Namatovu, Daniel Atwine, Vincent Were, Viola Nilah Nyakato, Olena Ivanova","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S617993","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S617993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Adolescent pregnancy rates have remained unacceptably high in Uganda, with a minimal decline over 20 years despite several interventions at the school and community levels. This study aimed at piloting and evaluating the effectiveness of facility-based group postpartum and postabortion counselling compared with routine care in increasing same-day uptake of modern contraception among adolescent girls and young women in selected health facilities in Southwestern Uganda.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a quasi-experimental study among 393 participants in eight health facilities in four districts in Southwestern Uganda. Participants who were at least six weeks or more postpartum or two weeks postabortion were enrolled in the study between January and March 2024. A pre- and post-health facility visits questionnaire was conducted to assess whether a participant accepted a modern contraceptive method during routine care (control group) or following a group counselling session (intervention group). We conducted a Poisson regression to determine the prevalence ratio for uptake of modern contraception among participants.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 393 participants (195 vs 198) were enrolled in the control (standard of care) and intervention group, respectively. Of these, 64 (16.3%) were younger than 18 years, 208 (52%) were single, 117 (29.8%) had sex younger than 15 years, and 51 (12%) had repeat pregnancies. A total of 108 (55.1%) vs 49 (25.1%) participants had same-day uptake of contraception within the intervention and control groups, respectively, with injectable contraception being the most common method used. Compared with those who received routine care, participants who received group counselling were more likely to accept a contraceptive method (PR= 2.24, 95% CI: 1.70-3.00, P<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The rate of contraception uptake among participants in the intervention group was more than double that of those receiving routine counselling. This is a promising tailored intervention targeting adolescent girls and young women within healthcare settings that may be considered for scale-up in different contexts and further validation in cluster or individual randomized trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"617993"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13557168/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148921980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnitude of Modern Contraceptive Use and Its Determinants Among Sexually Active Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Selected High HIV Prevalence Southern African Countries: A Multilevel Mixed-Effect Analysis.","authors":"Samkeliso G Shongwe, Mduduzi Colani Shongwe, Christopher O Aimakhu, Anas M Malami, Ronald Kooko","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S622427","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S622427","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Unintended pregnancies remain a major public health concern in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), especially among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). In Southern Africa, where HIV prevalence is among the highest globally, modern contraceptive use is critical for both pregnancy prevention and HIV risk reduction. Therefore, this study sought to determine the magnitude and multilevel determinants of modern contraceptive use among sexually active AGYW in six Southern African countries with high HIV prevalence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used cross-sectional data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) of six Southern African countries, including a weighted sample of 18,265 sexually active AGYW aged 15-24 years. We fitted multilevel logistic regression models to examine the individual and community-level determinants of modern contraceptive use, with statistical significance at <i>p</i> <0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most participants were aged 20-24 years (61.7%). The pooled magnitude of modern contraceptive use among sexually active AGYW was 46.3% (95% CI: 45.2-47.5%). At individual level, AGYW with higher education (aOR = 3.73, 95% CI: 2.89-4.81), employed (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.13-1.29), married (aOR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19-1.40), lacked desire for more children (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.06-1.43), and those with a recent health facility visit (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.22-1.42) had higher odds of modern contraceptive use. At the community level, AGYW from communities with higher education levels (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.10-1.34) also had increased odds of modern contraceptive use.</p><p><strong>Conclusion and recommendations: </strong>Less than half of AGYW in the six high HIV prevalence Southern African countries reported modern contraceptive use. Several multilevel determinants influenced uptake. Therefore, governments in the six countries need to address disparities through targeted policies and interventions, such as enhancing education, engaging in mass media outreach programmes, and improving healthcare access, which could increase modern contraceptive use, reduce unintended pregnancies, and contribute to HIV prevention efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"622427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13537170/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148882314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Theory of Planned Behaviour Analysis of Barriers and Facilitators of Immediate Postpartum Contraception Uptake in Southwestern Uganda.","authors":"Brenda Ainomugisha, Asiphas Owaraganise, Wilson Tumuhimibise, Patience Naiga, Josephine Asiimwe, Arnold Kamugisha, Martin Bwengye, Nedeen Alinda, Musa Kayondo, Joseph Ngonzi","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S635610","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S635610","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Closely spaced pregnancies increase the risks of maternal and perinatal morbidity. Initiation of contraception in the immediate postpartum period offers a critical opportunity to address this unmet need during a window when women are in contact with health services. We explored barriers and facilitators of immediate postpartum contraceptive uptake at a tertiary hospital in southwestern Uganda, using the Theory of Planned Behavior.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a qualitative descriptive study between August and December 2025 at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Using purposive sampling, we conducted 7 focus group discussions among postpartum women (24), spouses (19), midwives (20), and doctors (12) involved in maternity care using semi-structured interview guides grounded in the TPB. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated where necessary, and analysed using thematic analysis. Themes were deductively mapped onto the TPB domains of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control until no new themes emerged across successive focused group discussions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants generally viewed postpartum family planning positively and recognized its role in child spacing, maternal recovery, and family wellbeing. However, uptake was hindered by fears of side effects, misconceptions about infertility and contraceptive failure, concerns regarding immediate postpartum initiation, and limited awareness of methods suitable for use. While partner support facilitated uptake, opposition and community myths discouraged use. Perceived behavioural control was constrained by inadequate counselling, limited provider confidence, poor integration of family planning services within maternity care, and inconsistent availability of contraceptive methods.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Immediate postpartum contraceptive uptake is influenced by interconnected individual, social, and health-system factors. It requires multi-level interventions: integrated contraceptive counselling across the antenatal-postnatal continuum, structured male partner engagement, correction of community misconceptions, training of health care providers, and onsite availability of methods within labour wards and theatres.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"635610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13528656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148868224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attitudes and Perceptions of Health Workers Towards Immediate Postpartum Family Planning at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Jacob Eperu, Enid Kawala Kagoya, Laila Nalubega, John Michael Okusa, Anitah Birungi, Abudu Rahuman Ssekabira, James Kateregga, Samuel Okello, Ronald Opito, Clement Munguiko, Clare Nankinga, Josephine Namujju, Alice Collete Alum, Joseph Atukwatse, Safina Akello, David Aderu","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S627329","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S627329","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Unintended pregnancy among married women remains a great health burden in LMICs. Having successfully completed child birth, the World health organization guides that woman wait for not less than two to three years before attempting another pregnancy to reduce health risks for the mother and the baby. Whereas much is known about client related factors contributing to the low uptake of immediate postpartum family planning (IPPFP), little is known about health care workers (HCWs). This study sought to explore health workers' attitudes and perceptions toward IPPFP at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital (SRRH).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixteen (16) HCWs from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SRRH participated in this exploratory qualitative study. Purposive sampling was employed for recruitment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using hybrid thematic analysis to generate codes and themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thematic analysis involving 16 study participants revealed that attitudes toward IPPFP were shaped by four major themes: willingness to provide services, professional experience, client influences, and provider Fears. Whereas many healthcare workers expressed willingness to offer IPPFP a majority reported conditional readiness dependent on training, availability of equipment, and adequate skills. Providers with prior exposure demonstrated greater confidence. The study is reported in accordance with Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Perceptions were driven by three major themes: Perceived benefits, Barriers and Mutual aid. Participants highlighted several benefits of IPPFP, including prevention of unintended pregnancies, improved birth spacing, reduced missed opportunities for family planning, and enhanced maternal and child wellbeing. However, this study reveals previously undocumented system-level barriers such as only a few HCWs being trained, stock-outs, workload, and limited policy support, alongside sociocultural challenges including myths, misconceptions, religious beliefs, and the need for partner approval. Limited social support was also reported, although organizations such as JHPIEGO and Marie Stopes were recognized for supporting training and service delivery.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although linked to several considerations, most HCWs demonstrated positive attitudes toward IPPFP. This study reveals previously undocumented system-level barriers which must be addressed to enhance HCWs' knowledge, confidence, and attitudes toward providing IPPFP services.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"627329"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13505770/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148820750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic and Weight Observations in Four Women Using Triphasic Norgestimate/Ethinylestradiol: A Six-month Descriptive Case Series.","authors":"Maria Cristina Cesana, Debora Vicini, Simona Ruisi, Martina Fantauzzi, Antonio Pellegrino","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S604855","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S604855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Triphasic combined oral contraceptives (COCs) containing norgestimate and ethinylestradiol are established therapeutic options. Previous studies and reviews have described their metabolic profile, but contemporary routine-practice descriptions remain limited. This report was not designed to test efficacy or to generate population-level evidence.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To describe short-term changes in selected metabolic and clinical parameters over six months in four women using a triphasic norgestimate/35 µg ethinylestradiol COC.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>This retrospective descriptive case series included four women of reproductive age, without known metabolic disorders, who initiated triphasic norgestimate/35 µg ethinylestradiol in routine clinical practice and had complete records at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL/HDL ratio, blood pressure, and body weight were extracted from clinical records. Results are summarized descriptively as medians with ranges and patient-level changes. No inferential analyses were planned or performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fasting glycaemia remained within the physiological range in all four patients at each time point. Median triglycerides increased from 98 mg/dL at baseline to 123 mg/dL at 3 months and decreased to 88 mg/dL at 6 months; one patient had a value of 151 mg/dL at 3 months. Median total cholesterol increased from 173 mg/dL at baseline to 195.5 mg/dL at 6 months, with two patients above 200 mg/dL at 6 months. LDL/HDL ratios remained below 2 at 6 months, although individual changes were heterogeneous. Body weight showed small individual fluctuations from baseline to 6 months (-2 to +1 kg).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This four-patient retrospective case series provides descriptive short-term observations only. The findings should not be interpreted as evidence of metabolic efficacy, safety, or generalizability. They are hypothesis-generating and require evaluation in larger prospective studies with standardized follow-up and assessment of potential confounders.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"604855"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13459994/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148715063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healthcare Professionals' Self-Perceived Confidence in Contraceptive Implant Localisation and Removal Procedures in Catalonia: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Sabina Bel-Querol, Gabriel Ramos-Dios, Josep Perelló-Capó","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S606820","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S606820","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Removal of contraceptive implants can be technically challenging, particularly in complex cases such as deeply located or non-palpable implants. To evaluate healthcare professionals' (HCPs') self-perceived confidence in contraceptive implant procedures-including localization and removals of varying complexity-and to examine their opinions regarding access to specialized referral pathways for difficult cases.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 135 HCPs involved in contraceptive implant management. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing self-perceived confidence (5 point Likert scales), frequency of complex case encounters and views on referral systems. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-tests and Spearman correlations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sample included 68.1% midwives (n=92) and 20.0% gynaecologists (n=27), with a mean age of 39.7±10.8 years and 11.6±9.3 years of experience. Self-perceived confidence was high for localization (48.1% \"much\", 17.8% \"very much\") but markedly lower for complex removals: 40.7% reported \"very little\" confidence for deeply located palpable implants and 70.4% for nonpalpable implants (89.7% \"little/very little\"). Gynaecologists reported significantly higher confidence than midwives (p ≤ 0.002). Awareness of referral pathways was low (31.9%), although support for creating specialized circuits was nearly universal (98.5%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HCPs reported limited confidence in performing complex implant removals. These findings highlight perceived confidence gaps and support consideration of targeted training and clear referral pathways to support safe and equitable access to implant removal services.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"606820"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13381614/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148610949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of The Challenge Initiative on Public-Sector Family Planning Service Provision in Pakistan: Evidence from a Difference-in-Differences Analysis.","authors":"Ghazunfer Abbas, Junaid-Ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Bushra Rahim Butt, Farrukh Amin, Sarosh Seemab, Shah Faisal Zahir Deraj, Waqar Mehmood Memon, Akbar Abbas Bangash, Amir Saeed, Muhammad Aslam Bajwa, Zafar Ali Dehraj, Aaliya Habib, Syed Azizur Rab, Victor Imuwahen Igharo, Kojo Lokko","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S569200","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S569200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The study assesses the impact of The Challenge Initiative (TCI) on public sector provision of modern family planning (FP) services in 15 urban districts from two provinces of Pakistan. TCI partnered with the government's Departments of Health (DOH) and Population Welfare Department (PWD) for implementation of high-impact interventions.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>TCI began implementation in Punjab province in June 2022 and in Sindh province in September 2022. Monthly service data were obtained using the contraceptive Logistics Management Information System (cLMIS) from June 2020 to June 2025. Four districts were selected for the study: districts Rawalpindi (Intervention) and Gujrat (Control) from Punjab province and districts Malir (Intervention) and Sukkur (Control) from Sindh province. A difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis estimated the net effect of the intervention on average monthly family planning clients while interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) assessed changes in trends before and after intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>DiD analysis showed a statistically significant overall effect of 3,673 clients (p < 0.01) relative to control districts across provinces and government departments. In the Department of Health (DOH), an estimated statistically significant net effect of 6,100 clients (p < 0.001). ITSA trends aligned with DiD findings, showing sustained increases in client volume in intervention districts compared to declining trends in controls.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study provides credible evidence on the positive impact of TCI on provision of modern family planning services using government departments' facilities and infrastructure. Findings across provinces and departments underpin the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in strengthening family planning service delivery in urban areas. Collectively, these findings provide a strong basis for institutionalization of TCI's high-impact interventions in provincial budgets, workplans, and policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"569200"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13285909/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148310620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reframing Contraception as Healthy Birth Spacing in Somalia: Tackling Myths, Partner Dynamics, and Service Trust.","authors":"Mariam Abdi Hassan, Abdullahi Abdirahman Omar","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S597200","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S597200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Somalia, women's desire to space births contrasts sharply with limited access to safe and trusted contraception. Modern contraceptive use remains extremely low, unmet need is substantial, and birth intervals are often shorter than recommended for maternal and child health. In a predominantly Islamic and post-conflict context, community narratives about future infertility, concerns about side effects, male partner refusal, and fear of marital instability interact with low health literacy, fragile service delivery, and limited trust in health systems. This commentary synthesizes Somalia-specific evidence and relevant comparative literature to argue that progress depends on reframing contraception as voluntary healthy birth spacing, strengthening respectful counseling and side-effect support, engaging men and trusted religious and community leaders, and improving reliable access to a broader method mix through maternal and child health contacts and community outreach. This study contributes a contraception focused implementation perspective that links sociocultural acceptability, continuation, and service trust in a fragile setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"597200"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13250244/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148229578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Tale as Old as Time: Contraception Concerns in the 21st Century.","authors":"Rachel Margaret Bottomley-Wise, Amie Woodward, Adenike Okanlawon, Amanda J Mason-Jones","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S581526","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S581526","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Historical inconsistencies in contraception research have led to concerns about side effects regarding hormonal contraception. Today, concerns about the hormonal contraceptive pill are still ongoing. The side effects from hormonal contraception and prevailing socioeconomic barriers to effective contraception have heralded in the use of Mobile Health (mHealth) applications as birth control methods. These applications are set to become ubiquitous with the proliferation of wearable devices that monitor biodata. Access to modern contraceptives depends on who you are and where you live and often has cost-implications. The use of \"mHealth\" applications has been rising in recent years and are marketed as having maximal reward for minimal cost and perhaps could alleviate some of these concerns. While mHealth applications are flexible, accessible, and low cost, this paper suggests that we exercise caution so as not to repeat past mistakes. We provide a critical review of the history of research into contraception. We may have come far, but we still have a long way to go for equitable access to contraceptive healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"581526"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13070127/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147679182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experiences of Contraceptive Use and Contraceptive Counseling Among German Psychology Students: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.","authors":"Johanna Seiwert, Anja Lindig","doi":"10.2147/OAJC.S560274","DOIUrl":"10.2147/OAJC.S560274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>In recent years, hormonal contraceptive use has declined in Germany, yet little is known about the contraceptive needs and preferences of its population. This study addresses this gap by (1) identifying attitudes, subjective knowledge, and information needs of psychology students regarding contraceptive methods, (2) evaluating person-centeredness (PC) and shared decision-making (SDM) in contraceptive counseling, and (3) comparing users of hormonal and non-hormonal methods regarding attitudes, knowledge, and age.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study applying an online survey among psychology students in Germany, who were biologically capable of becoming pregnant. PC in counseling was assessed using the Person-Centered Contraceptive Counseling Scale (PCCC), while SDM was measured using the CollaboRATE questionnaire and Control Preference Scale. Attitudes, knowledge, and information needs were evaluated through adapted or self-developed items. We translated and adapted the PCCC using a team translation protocol (TRAPD).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 126 participants, 82.6% used at least one contraceptive method, mainly condoms (43.8%) and the combined pill (19.8%). Most participants were satisfied with their currently used method and do not want to change their current method. Hormonal users were younger (M=22.84) than non-hormonal users (M=25.40). Attitudes toward hormonal contraception were generally negative. Participants reported good or basic knowledge of 9 out of 15 methods; non-hormonal users knew more methods than hormonal users. Gynecologists (36.7%) were the most frequent information source. About 35.7% had received contraceptive counseling in the previous year but reported low satisfaction with the information provided. Overall, PC and SDM were only partially implemented in contraceptive counseling.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings highlight the need for more person-centered counseling to support informed decisions. The results can inform interventions aimed at improving contraceptive knowledge among users and enhancing PC and SDM practices among gynecologists.</p>","PeriodicalId":74348,"journal":{"name":"Open access journal of contraception","volume":"17 ","pages":"560274"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13005624/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147500868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}