Awareness, attitude and preference of long-acting reversible contraceptives by Tanta University contraceptive clinic attendants

Background: Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) had a very high efficacy in lowering unintended pregnancies and their poor health sequalae. Although their reported efficacy, these methods are not widely used among patient’s due to non-awareness and faulty concepts linked to these methods.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the degree of awareness, attitude and preference of LARC by attendants of Tanta University contraceptive clinic in the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. All patients were counseled with thorough discussion about LARC methods. The following issues were determined: age, parity, mode of previous delivery, residence, medical diseases, socioeconomic state of family, type of LARC method used, how she know about this method and why she preferred that type.Results: 391 women underwent this study with age range of 21-46 years, and BMI range of 20.46-31.87. LARC were preferred by 72.38% of patients and mainly IUDS (52.94%) while other LARC methods were of very low awareness. Most patients take their knowledge from paramedical staffs (49.87%). Occupation, education, residence and religion were not affecting patients' attitude and preference of one LARC over the other methods. Age was the most effective factor for determining whether to use LARC or not. Counseling revert a lot of faulty concepts and misbelieves about LARC.Conclusions: LARC were not widespread among Tanta University attendants for contraception except for IUDs. Young patients had no motivations towards LARC due to a lot of faulty concepts that need a lot of work to be eradicated.