Factors Influencing Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive Use in Malawi

Unintended pregnancy is a major problem among sexually active women in Sub Saharan Africa and occurs due to a number of reasons, such as inconsistent use of short term contraceptive methods or non-use of modern contraception. Recent scientific findings indicate that long acting reversible contraceptive methods (IUD, Norplant and Injectables), which are cost effective and highly effective in pregnancy prevention, are a possible solution to the problem of unintended pregnancy. To promote use of these methods and ultimately reduce unintended pregnancy, it is important to identify factors that are associated with the use of long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods.
Data used in the study were derived from the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. Binomial logistic regression modelling and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with LARC method use among sexually active women aged 15-49 years in Malawi.
The results show that LARC use decreases with age. Young women (15-24) are more likely to use LARC methods than older women (35+). However, LARC use increases with an increase in the number of living children. Being married, with a secondary or higher and staying in urban areas increased the likelihood of using LARC methods. The implications of the results are discussed.