Self-reported contraceptive method use at conception among patients presenting for abortion in England: a cross-sectional analysis comparing 2018 and 2023

https://srh.bmj.com/content/early/2025/01/01/bmjsrh-2024-202573?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8RUJBEfsEHrWAiVQATdWd_iHz27aig49ZxvChKmh8O_QUgfS3iHwJclEcgXOY-N4UhywZ1tYPSQusrwXZlAkUsxQ5wwg&_hsmi=342354081&utm_content=342354081&utm_source=hs_email Study shows a shift to ‘natural’ birth control or none at all People in the U.K. are using effective hormonal birth control methods less than they were five years ago, according to a study published yesterday in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health. At the same time, more people are using “natural” methods like tracking one’s period and body temperature to make fertility predictions. There’s also been a significant increase in the number of people not using any birth control at all, per the study. To assess recent trends, researchers compared the self-reported birth control practices of around 33,400 people who sought an abortion in early 2018 with 55,000 people who did in early 2023. Just 0.4% people in 2018 used “natural” birth control, while 2.5% did in 2023. Hormonal methods decreased from 18.8% to 11.3%, while those using no birth control increased from 55.8% to almost 70%. The changes are part of a larger trend of apparent hesitancy to take the pill. About half of reproductive-age females in the U.K. took the pill in 2010, but by 2018 it was down to 14%. The study authors point to both personal preference and a lack of access as potential motivators, but say more research is needed.