Measuring Modern Contraceptive Use

Our main outcome is mDFPS, defined as the proportion of women in need of contraception who were using (or whose partner was using) a modern contraceptive method. We considered a woman as in need of contraception if she was sexually active, fecund, and did not want to become pregnant within the next two years, or if she was unsure about whether or when she wanted to become pregnant. We also considered pregnant women with a mistimed or unintended pregnancy as in need of contraception. We considered women as sexually active if they were married or living with a partner, or if they were not married but reported having had sexual intercourse in the month preceding the interview. We classified methods as modern if they were medical procedures or technological products [26 (link)], including oral contraceptive pills, injections, male and female condoms, diaphragms, spermicidal agents, emergency contraception, intrauterine devices (IUD), implants, and sterilization (female or male).