Table II.
Characteristics of first contraception method as a function of timing of initiation relative to first sexual intercourse.
| Time between contraceptive initiation and first sex | Earlier initiators (initiated before first sex) |
Later initiators (initiated after first sex) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 469 | % | n = 211 | % | |
| <1 month | 62 | 12.4 | 96 | 42.8 |
| 1 to <3 months | 75 | 16.0 | 38 | 20.5 |
| 3 to <6 months | 79 | 16.7 | 25 | 12.1 |
| 6 months to <1 year | 91 | 19.7 | 20 | 9.5 |
| 1 to <2 years | 67 | 14.8 | 12 | 6.0 |
| 2 years or more | 95 | 20.4 | 16 | 9.1 |
| Type of first contraception (%) | Before first sex | At the time of sex | After first sex | Total |
| n = 469 | n = 872 | n = 211 | n = 1552 | |
| Pill | 100 | 9.8 | 59.4 | 43.7 |
| Intrauterine device | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 |
| Implant | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
| Male condom | 0.0 | 88.4 | 19.8 | 52.1 |
| Withdrawal | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 |
| Periodic abstinence | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Patch | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Emergency contraceptive pill | 0.0 | 0.3 | 15.1 | 2.5 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Reasons for initiation among those who experienced the pill as the first contraception method (%) | ||||
| Before first sex | At the time of sex | After first sex | Total | |
| n = 455 | n = 88 | n = 125 | n = 668 | |
| To avoid pregnancy if had sex | 53.0 | 86.5 | 79.0 | 62.7 |
| Acne | 21.2 | 13.1 | 9.6 | 17.8 |
| To regulate menstrual cycles | 66.8 | 46.2 | 48.4 | 60.3 |
| To avoid painful periods | 47.5 | 25.9 | 26.1 | 40.2 |
| Ovary problems | 9.5 | 2.1 | 5.8 | 7.8 |
| Other reasons | 4.3 | 0.0 | 6.9 | 4.3 |