Abstract
Objectives
In this study, I examined the low uptake of oral contraceptives (OCs) in China and
the factors affecting the reluctance among unmarried Chinese women seeking abortion
to use OCs to prevent unintended pregnancies.
Study design
I conducted ethnographic and participant observation in multiple medical facilities
and interviewed 62 women who were seeking or had had an abortion between 2013 and
2017 in a coastal city in east China. I analyzed data regarding the women's perceptions
and experiences of using OCs through a thematic analysis approach.
Results
The women reported fear of side effects, including infertility, weight gain, and mental
health issues and their view on traditional Chinese medicine further validated their
skepticism toward Western medicine. Discouragement from male partners and a lack of
sexual and reproductive education also caused their hesitancy and misunderstandings
of OCs.
Conclusions
This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the barriers to OC use in
China. It resonates with existing studies that associate the reluctance to use OCs
with the fear of side effects and highlights the influence of sociocultural specificities
and couple interactions in shaping contraceptive use.
Implications
Tackling premarital abortions is one of the priorities of the Chinese government in
the face of the population crisis. Service providers and educators should understand
unmarried women's reluctance to use OCs and provide comprehensive sexuality education
and postabortion counseling services to women and men to dispel culturally specific
misconceptions.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 02, 2022
Accepted:
November 28,
2022
Received in revised form:
August 11,
2022
Received:
March 15,
2022
Editor: Carolyn WesthoffPublication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
