Republic of the Congo - adolescent contraceptive use

Publication date: 2016

Adolescent contraceptive use DATA FROM L’ENQUÊTE DÉMOGRAPHIQUE ET DE SANTÉ DU CONGO (EDSC), 2011-12 R E P U B L I C O F T H E C O N G O What can be done to support Congolese adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Plan for how, when and where different groups of sexually active adolescents (married and unmarried, boys and girls, rural and urban) use and do not use contraception. Learn the reasons why adolescents are not using contraception, and develop policies and programmes to better address their needs. Understand that adolescents may get contraception from a variety of sources and ensure that each of these sources can provide high quality services for adolescents. COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Adolescent population: who are they? In the Republic of the Congo, there are more than 1 million adolescents aged 10–19 years – 22.2% of the country’s total population.i The majority of adolescents live in urban areas, 68.5% of adolescent girls and 69.6% of adolescent boys.i By age 19, the mean number of years of schooling attended by adolescent girls is 8.1, while for adolescent boys it is 9.2.ii Among adolescents who become parents before age 20, the average age at which Congolese adolescent girls have their first baby is 17.1 years, while the average age at which adolescent boys first become fathers is 18.1.ii Sexual activity and marital status Analysis of data from the EDSCii, over 220 000 Congolese aged 15–19 are currently sexually active – they are either unmarried and have had sex in the last three months or they are in a union (i.e. married or living together). On average, among adolescents who had sex before age 20, adolescent girls first have sexual intercourse at age 15.7 years and adolescent boys at 15.5 years. Among unmarried adolescents, 34.8% of adolescent girls report ever having sex and 21.6% are currently sexually active; among adolescent boys, 62.6% report ever having sex, while 50.5% are currently sexually active. Among all Congolese adolescents, 18.8% of adolescent girls and 2.9% of adolescent boys are in a union. Among these adolescents, the mean age of the first union is 16.6 years for adolescent girls and 17.2 for adolescent boys. Contraceptive use and non-use among adolescent girls FIGURE 1. Use and non-use of contraception: unmarried sexually active adolescent girls, aged 15–19 years (%) Not using Withdrawal Periodic abstinence Female condom Male condom Pill FIGURE 2. Use and non-use of contraception: adolescent girls in union, aged 15–19 years (%) LISTED FROM LEAST EFFECTIVE TO MOST EFFECTIVE LISTED FROM LEAST EFFECTIVE TO MOST EFFECTIVE Unmarried, sexually active According to EDSCii analyses, 80.2% unmarried, sexually active adolescent girls report not wanting a child in the next two years, and 73.7% of them are currently using a method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a contraceptive method include: • knows no method (30.5%) • not married (22.2%) • infrequent sex (22.0%) Among all unmarried, sexually active adolescent girls aged 15–19, 27.8% are not using a method of contraception. Male condoms are the most common modern method used (40.9% of these adolescent girls). Periodic abstinence or withdrawal, traditional methods, are used by 24.2% (see Figure 1). In union According to EDSCii analyses, 79.9% of adolescent girls in a union report not wanting a child in the next two years, and only 41.3% of them are currently using any method to prevent pregnancy. The main reasons these adolescents report for not using a contraceptive method include: • breastfeeding (38.1%) • menses has not returned after giving birth (30.3%) • not having sex (19.2%) Among all adolescent girls in a union aged 15–19, 63.8% are not using a method of contraception. Male condoms and pills are the only modern methods used (19.5% and 3.7% of these adolescent girls, respectively). Traditional methods (withdrawal or period abstinence) are used by 7.5% (see Figure 2). i Urban and rural population by age and sex, 1980–2015 [online database]. New York (USA): United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division; 2014 (https://esa. un.org/unpd/popdev/urpas/urpas2014.aspx, accessed 4 November 2016). i Centre Nationale de la Statistique et des Études Économiques (CNSEE) [Congo], ICF International.Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Congo (EDSC), 2011-2012 [datasets]. CGIR60.DTA and CGMR60.DTA. Calverton (MD): ICF International; 2012 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Congo_Standard-DHS_2011.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). Not using Withdrawal Periodic abstinence Male condom Pill 19.5 3.7 2.8 4.7 63.8 LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Source: analysis of EDSC 2011-12ii Source: analysis of EDSC 2011-12ii Unmarried, sexually active adolescents who are using a modern method most often get it from a shop or market (23.4%) or friends or relatives (20.4%). Adolescents in a union who are using a modern method most often get it from friends, relatives or a street vendor (34.6%) or a shop or market (34.4%). 27.8 1.0 23.20.1 40.9 1.4 Adolescent contraceptive use R E P U B L I C O F T H E C O N G O Use and non-use of contraception adolescent girls, aged 15-19 million adolescents ages 10-19 1 15.7 years for adolescent girls 15.5 years for adolescent boys Among adolescents who had sex before age 20, the average age at first sex is Among adolescents who become parents before age 20, the average age at first birth is What can be done to support Congolese adolescents to prevent unintended pregnancy? Main reasons for not using contraception Report not wanting a child in the next two years Sexually active, unmarried In union 80.2% sexually active, unmarried adolescent girls 79.9% adolescent girls in union 23.4% from a shop or market 34.6% from friends, relatives or a street vendor 20.4% from friends or relatives 34.4% from a shop or market Understand that adolescents may get modern contraception from a variety of sources. Learn the reasons why adolescents are not using contraception. Plan for how, when, and where different groups of adolescents use or don’t use contraception. ANALYSIS OF L’ENQUÊTE DÉMOGRAPHIQUE ET DE SANTÉ DU CONGO, 2011-2012 COMPILED IN 2016 | UPDATED NOVEMBER 2016 Centre Nationale de la Statistique et des Études Économiques (CNSEE) [Congo], ICF International. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Congo (EDSC), 2011-2012 [datasets]. CGIR60.DTA and CGMR60.DTA. Calverton (MD): ICF International; 2012 (http://dhsprogram.com/data/dataset/Congo_Standard-DHS_2011.cfm?flag=0, accessed 4 November 2016). 17.1 18.1 for adolescent girls for adolescent boys LEARN MORE AT who.int/reproductivehealth/adol-contraceptive-use Sexually active, unmarried In union 30.5% knows no method 38.1% breastfeeding 22.2% not married 30.3% menses has not returned after giving birth 22.0% infrequent sex 19.2% not having sex Method Sexually active, unmarried In union Not using 27.8% 63.8% Withdrawal 1.0% 2.8% Periodic abstinence 23.2% 4.7% Female condom 0.1% -- Male condom 40.9% 19.5% Pill 1.4% 3.7% REASONS FOR NON-USE: Not married Not having sex Infrequent sex Menses has not returned after birth Breastfeeding Fatalistic (up to god) She is opposed Husband/partner is opposed Religious prohibition Knows no method Knows no source Fear of side effects/health concerns Inconvenient to use Others opposed Lack of access/too far SOURCE OF METHOD: Government facility Private facility Pharmacy Shop Friends or parents Other Community Health Worker Icon Directory METHODS: Not using Withdrawal Periodic abstinence Rhythm/calendar Female condom Male condom Standard days/cycle beads Pill Injectable contraceptives Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) Implants IUD Male sterilization Female sterilization © WHO 2016. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence WHO/RHR/16.21 LU_WHO_Template_Text_En-AFRO-Congo LU_WHO_Template_Infographic_En_AFRO_Congo

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