Differences In Contraceptive Use Between Family Planning Providers And The General Population

INTRODUCTION: Previous research shows that female physicians are more likely than women in the general population to choose intrauterine contraception as their birth control method. This research aims to describe current contraceptive use among a broader range of female family planning providers and to compare their contraceptive choices with the general population. METHODS: We surveyed a convenience sample of family planning providers aged 19–44 years, including physicians and advanced practice clinicians, through a web-based survey from April 2013 to May 2013. A total of 551 responses were eligible for analysis. Results are compared against data among similarly aged women from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2006–2010. RESULTS: Among the 335 health care providers reporting current contraceptive use, 140 (42%) were using long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), consisting of 134 (40%) intrauterine contraception users and six (2%) implant users. By comparison, only 6.3% of women in the general population report current LARC use (P