Reconsidering (in)equality in the use of IUDs in the United States: A closer look across the reproductive life course

Megan Sweeney, Mieke Eeckhaut and Jessica D. Gipson
Additional contact information
Megan Sweeney: University of California, Los Angeles
Mieke Eeckhaut: University of Delaware
Jessica D. Gipson: University of California, Los Angeles

Demographic Research, 2020, vol. 43, issue 35, 1049-1066

Abstract: Background: Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), such as the intrauterine device (IUD), have received increased attention for their contraceptive effectiveness and reversibility. Although demographers have long acknowledged the importance of parity and childbearing intentions for contraceptive choice, we know little about how contraceptive use varies across the reproductive life course. Objective: Guided by the expectation that contraceptive method characteristics (e.g., reversibility, effectiveness) contribute to method choice ‒ and that the salience of method characteristics vary by reproductive life stage and education ‒ we investigate variability in IUD use patterns. Methods: We use 2008–2010 and 2011–2013 National Survey of Family Growth data to compare women’s IUD-use patterns across educational groups and at three reproductive life stages: before a first birth occurs (“starters”), between births (“spacers”), and after planned childbearing ends altogether (“limiters”). Results: IUD use is more common among spacers than among starters or limiters. Moreover, IUD use is associated with educational advantage among starters and limiters, but not among spacers. Educational differences in IUD use among starters and limiters persist when demographic background characteristics are controlled. Conclusions: Our understanding of variability in IUD use changes considerably when viewing educational gradients through the lens of the reproductive life course. Contribution: We shed new light on variability in IUD use across the reproductive life course. To best support women’s contraceptive preferences, it is important to consider the ways in which structural determinants (e.g., education, reproductive health policies and programs) shape women’s contraceptive choices at various stages of the reproductive life course.

Keywords: contraceptive intention; inequality; pregnancy intentions; pregnancy; United States of America (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol43/35/43-35.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:demres:v:43:y:2020:i:35

DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2020.43.35

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Demographic Research from Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Editorial Office ().