Determinants for non-use of contraception at first intercourse; a study of 10,841 young Danish women from the general population

• Published in: Contraception (Stoneham) Vol. 66; no. 5; pp. 345 - 350
• Main Authors: Svare, Edith Ingerslev, Kjaer, Susanne Krüger, Thomsen, Birthe L, Bock, Johannes E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.11.2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; birth cohorts; Birth control; first coitus; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; high-risk sexual behavior; Hormonal contraception; male partner; Medical sciences; multivariate analysis; non-use of contraception; Other methods of contraception. Sterilization; risk factors; sexual education; Women; Denmark; Europe; Women; first coitus; high-risk sexual behavior; risk factors; non-use of contraception; sexual education; birth cohorts; male partner; multivariate analysis; Human; Sexual behavior; Contraception; Sexual intercourse; Epidemiology; birth cohort; Cohort study; Sexuality; Female; Public health
• ISSN: 0010-7824; 1879-0518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0010-7824(02)00333-5

Based on interview data from 10,841 Danish women aged 20 to 29 years, determinants for non-use of contraception at first intercourse (NU) were studied. One-fourth of the women (n = 2704) reported NU, whereas condoms and oral contraceptives were used by, respectively, 59% and 15%. NU decreased with the birth year of the first male partner (OR = 3.6; 95% CI: 2.8–4.8 for ≤1954 vs. 1968–1974) mainly in favor of condom use. Other determinants were the birth cohort of the woman (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.0–1.9 for 1961–1962 vs. 1970–1972) and the calendar year of the first intercourse (OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.2–1.7 for 1985–1986 vs. 1987–1992), both initially in favor of oral contraception and later in favor of condom use, whereas young age at first intercourse was associated with a high prevalence of NU (OR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4–2.1 for ≤14 years vs. ≥17 years) at the expense of both oral contraception and condom use. Finally, NU was found to predict high-risk sexual behavior in terms of subsequent multiple sex partners, non-use of condoms, and induced abortion.