Changes in young women’s contraceptive use in the Netherlands: findings from three sex under the age of 25 surveys

Abstract Prevention of unintended pregnancy among adolescents and young adults under 25 years is pivotal from an individual as well as societal perspective. In the USA, the use of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) has been shown to increase, with no or little change in the use of short-acting reversible contraceptive (SARC). We assessed trends in no contraceptive, SARC, and LARC use by young women, aged between 12 and 25 years, and differences in trends within demographic groups (age, religion, ethnic background, and educational level) among these young women in the Netherlands. Data of sexually active young women aged 12–25 years from three cross-sectional representative surveys, 2005, 2012, and 2017, were used for this study. In total, 11,229 Dutch young women were included with a median age of 20 years (interquartile range 18–23 years). Overall, the proportion of young women using SARC decreased significantly between 2005 and 2017 from 88 to 76%. LARC use increased significantly between 2005 and 2017 from 3 to 16%. These trends varied by religious groups and educational level, emphasizing potential for tailored preventative measures for these groups. A shift towards LARC use might eventually lead to a further decrease in unwanted pregnancy and potentially abortion because of the lower risk of user errors.