Effect of Parent-Daughter Communication about Sex on the Use of Less Effective Contraception among Women from Ages 15-24 Years in France.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Most women begin sexual activity as teenagers but nearly 20% of women in France younger than 25 years rely on less effective contraceptive methods (condoms or methods such as withdrawal or periodic abstinence). We sought to analyze the association with less effective contraception among women aged 15-24 years in France and communication about sex and contraception with their parents. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The analyses focused on 713 sexually active women who did not currently want a child, were using contraception, and were interviewed in 2010 in a national cross-sectional probability survey (FEcondité CONtraception Dysfonctions sexuelles [FECOND]) when they were 15-24 years old. Associations between the use of less effective contraception, social and demographic characteristics, sexual activity, health characteristics, and communication with parents and friends about sexuality and contraception were tested with logistic regression models according to age group.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Less effective contraception (condoms, and barrier or natural methods) is used more often by younger women: 27.5% of 15- to 19-year-old women and 14.7% of 20- to 24-year-old women (P < .001). After adjustment for demographic characteristics and aspects of their sex lives (regularity and frequency of intercourse), women who reported difficulty discussing contraception and sex with their mothers at age 15 years were more likely than those with easier communication to use less effective contraception (for those 15-19 years, odds ratio = 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-4.10, and for those 20-24 years, odds ratio = 2.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-4.26). Difficulty in communicating with their parents, especially their mothers, about sex, is associated with young women's choice of less effective contraception.