Researchers did this study to discover the contraception methods used by women with SCD, what complications women with SCD encounter with contraception, and their experiences of pre-pregnancy counseling and pregnancy planning, and how such issues may have changed over the past twenty years.
The present study was a multicentre, interview-based, cross-sectional study. Interviews were carried out with one hundred and two women with SCD, in the north and central London, concerning their current and previous contraceptive use, their menstrual history, and the advice they received concerning pregnancy planning and contraception. Patient information was anonymized and ethical approval was obtained. These data were compared with data from a similar study.
The study concluded that there were significant differences in several key areas: the number of unplanned pregnancies decreased from 64% in 1993 to 53% in 2010. The number of women with SCD who were advised not to become pregnant also fell, from 36% to 15%. The use of combined oral contraceptive pills declined, from 45% of the women in 1993 to 31% in 2010. Conversely, the use of DMPA and the LNG-IUS both increased.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/41/2/96
