TABLE 4.
Reasons for discontinuation of baseline Zika Contraception Access Network (Z-CAN) contraceptive method,a Puerto Rico, 2016–2020
| Hormonal IUD (%) | Copper IUD (%) | Implant (%) | Shot (%) | Pill (%) | Ring (%) | Patch (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discontinuation at 6 months | Nb,c = 24 | Nb,c = 10 | Nb,c = 25 | Nb,c = 26 | Nb,c = 59 | Nb,c = 20 | Nb,c = 9 |
| It was in the wrong place or falling out | 8.3 | 40.0 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I had an infectiond | 0.0 | 10.0 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I experienced side effects, bleeding changes, or pain | 79.2 | 70.0 | 92.0 | 61.5 | 40.7 | 35.0 | 33.3 |
| My partner did not want me to use it | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 |
| I wanted to get pregnant | 8.3 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 15.0 | 11.1 |
| I do not believe it is effective for birth control | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 11.5 | 3.4 | 10.0 | 22.2 |
| Health care provider recommended I stop using it | 4.2 | 30.0 | 8.0 | 11.5 | 11.9 | 0.0 | 11.1 |
| It was too expensive | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 7.7 | 6.8 | 15.0 | 22.2 |
| It was not convenient or too hard to get | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 23.1 | 27.0 | 25.0 | 33.3 |
| Too hard to remember to take (for pills) or difficult to use (for ring and patch) | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 25.4 | 15.0 | 11.1 |
| Discontinuation at 24 months | Nb,f = 114 | N b,f = 34 | Nb,f= 125 | Nb,f = 36 | Nb,f = 87 | Nb,f = 36 | Nb,f = 11 |
| It was in the wrong place or falling out | 6.1 | 35.3 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I had an infectiond | 5.3 | 11.8 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I experienced side effects, bleeding changes, or pain | 78.1 | 70.6 | 84.8 | 58.3 | 31.0 | 33.3 | 36.4 |
| My partner did not want me to use it | 6.1 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 8.3 | 0.0 |
| I wanted to get pregnant | 14.9 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 0.0 | 11.5 | 8.3 | 9.1 |
| I do not believe it is effective for birth control | 3.5 | 5.9 | 10.4 | 11.1 | 4.6 | 11.1 | 18.2 |
| Health care provider recommended I stop using it | 11.4 | 14.7 | 12.0 | 19.4 | 5.8 | 2.8 | 0.0 |
| It was too expensive | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 16.7 | 11.5 | 25.0 | 9.1 |
| It was not convenient or too hard to get | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 16.7 | 26.4 | 25.0 | 45.5 |
| Too hard to remember to take (for pills) or difficult to use (for ring and patch) | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 25.3 | 8.3 | 0.0 |
| Difficultly finding a provider | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 2.8 | 18.4 | 5.6 | 9.1 |
| I moved within Puerto Rico | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| I moved out of Puerto Rico | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 13.9 | 6.9 | 2.8 | 9.1 |
| Discontinuation at 36 months | Nb,g = 113 | Nb,g = 25 | Nb,g = 168 | Nb,g = 20 | Nb,g = 53 | Nb,g = 17 | Nb,g = 5 |
| It was in the wrong place or falling out | 10.6 | 20.0 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I had an infectiond | 5.3 | 8.0 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
| I experienced side effects, bleeding changes, or pain | 58.4 | 84.0 | 79.2 | 60.0 | 45.3 | 23.5 | 0.0 |
| My partner did not want me to use it | 4.4 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 0.0 |
| I wanted to get pregnant | 18.6 | 12.0 | 11.9 | 10.0 | 18.9 | 5.9 | 20.0 |
| I do not believe it is effective for birth control | 2.7 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 20.0 |
| Health care provider recommended I stop using it | 13.3 | 20.0 | 8.9 | 20.0 | 3.8 | 11.8 | 0.0 |
| It was too expensive | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 5.0 | 13.2 | 23.5 | 20.0 |
| It was not convenient or too hard to get | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 5.0 | 11.3 | 0.0 | 60.0 |
| Too hard to remember to take (for pills) or difficult to use (for ring and patch) | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 17.0 | 5.9 | 0.0 |
| Difficultly finding a provider | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 5.0 | 13.2 | 5.9 | 0.0 |
| I moved within Puerto Rico | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 0.0 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| I moved out of Puerto Rico | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | 0.0 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Method expired | 13.3 | 0.0 | 23.2 | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e | ─ e |
Abbreviations: IUD, intrauterine device; Z-CAN, Zika Contraception Access Network.
Excludes patients whose baseline method was condoms alone. Data shown are numerators and percentages.
Denominator represents a number of respondents who indicated ≥1 specified reasons for discontinuation; may be less than the number of discontinuers if participants did not answer the survey question about reasons for discontinuation.
The number of discontinuers at six months was 58 for hormonal IUD, 27 for copper IUD, 37 for implant, 41 for shot, 83 for pill, 27 for ring, and 10 for patch.
Reason not asked.
For example, chlamydia, gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease.
The number of discontinuers at 24 months was 178 for hormonal IUD, 64 for copper IUD, 153 for implant, 50 for shot, 123 for pill, 43 for ring, and 14 for patch.
The number of discontinuers at 36 months was 221 for hormonal IUD, 72 for copper IUD, 260 for implant, 57 for shot, 118 for pill, 43 for ring, and 14 for patch.