Systematic Review Identifies Key Factors Shaping Individual Contraceptive Method Choices

While available contraceptive methods vary considerably in their efficacy, potential side effects, financial costs, and practical characteristics, the researchers noted an absence of comprehensive syntheses examining how these attributes drive choices across different demographic groups. The objective of the systematic review was to identify and categorize the specific attributes that individuals consider most critical when evaluating and choosing among contraceptive options to better support patient-centered reproductive healthcare.

Conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines, the investigation searched the Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science electronic databases for relevant literature published between 2000 and 2024. The authors included investigations that utilized discrete choice experiments, conjoint experiments, surveys, or structured interviews designed to evaluate contraceptive preferences.

Across the 22 included studies, researchers identified 44 distinct decision attributes, which were organized into eight broad categories: effectiveness and safety, convenience and suitability, economy and cost, social and interpersonal relationships, privacy and control, information and advice, lifestyle and behavior, and services and support. While effectiveness, side effects, cost, convenience, safety, and privacy were the most frequently assessed attributes overall, preferences exhibited notable geographic variations, with financial cost emerging as a primary factor in the United States and personal privacy carrying particular weight in African countries.

The study authors concluded that while these identified attributes offer valuable reference points for designing decision-support tools and individualizing clinical counseling, simplified counseling frameworks remain limited by complex psychological, emotional, and socio-cultural determinants that are not yet fully understood.

Published in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, the open-access review was shared early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research under a permanent digital object identifier. According to the publication notice, the current citable version remains subject to further edits and will be replaced automatically by the journal’s final Version of Record.

Understanding user priorities is critical for advancing patient-centered care and improving individual contraceptive decision-making. To systematically address this gap, the researchers applied the PRISMA 2020 guidelines to guide study selection across Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. The investigation incorporated studies published between 2000 and 2024 that utilized discrete choice experiments, conjoint experiments, structured surveys, or structured interviews specifically designed to capture personal contraceptive preferences.

The final analytical synthesis pooled 22 eligible studies encompassing a total of 53,730 participants, identifying 44 individual attributes connected to contraceptive selection. The investigators classified these attributes into eight distinct categories: effectiveness and safety, convenience and suitability, economy and cost, social and interpersonal relationships, privacy and control, information and advice, lifestyle and behavior, along with services and support. Across these classifications, the attributes assessed most frequently in the included literature were effectiveness, side effects, cost, convenience, safety, and privacy. Throughout the evaluations, effectiveness and safety consistently ranked as the most influential considerations for individuals, followed by concerns regarding cost and privacy. Additionally, the analysis documented notable geographic heterogeneity, showing that financial cost stood as a primary concern within the United States, whereas privacy considerations were especially prominent in African nations.

Regarding clinical practice and counseling applications, the review authors noted that identifying these central attributes provides meaningful reference points for creating decision-support tools and structuring individualized counseling strategies. Nevertheless, they cautioned that psychological, emotional, and socio-cultural determinants, alongside geographic heterogeneity in preferences, interact in complex ways that are not yet fully understood. These multifaceted interactions limit the direct applicability of simplified counseling frameworks in everyday care. Consequently, the authors emphasized that further mixed-methods research, specifically incorporating qualitative methods and discrete choice experiments, is essential to clarify how contraceptive preferences form over time across different life stages. They concluded that establishing the robustness and cross-setting transferability of these preference dynamics will be necessary before such insights can be reliably integrated into routine contraceptive counseling protocols.

Subject of Research: Factors influencing individual contraceptive method selection across diverse populations

Article Title: Factors influencing individual decision-making in contraceptive method selection: a comprehensive analysis

Article References: Cao, Z., Li, J., Sun, L., Fan, Z., Idowu, A. L., Yang, Z., & Zhang, F. (2026). Factors influencing individual decision-making in contraceptive method selection: a comprehensive analysis. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, 11(1), Article 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-026-00469-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40834-026-00469-5

Keywords: contraceptive choice, systematic review, reproductive health, patient preferences, discrete choice experiment, health decision-making, contraceptive safety, Factors, influencing, individual, decision-making, contraceptive