Migrant women in China’s industrial cities face particular contraceptive challenges, which have changed in recent years as family planning policy has shifted. We surveyed to examine these issues among factory workers in a large Chinese city.
Married migrant women and working in Changzhou, China, completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire giving details about their sociodemographic background, work and migration situations reproductive health.
Current contraceptive use was reported by 86.6% of women. Condoms, which have primarily replaced more extended acting contraceptive methods in this population, were being used by 54.9% of contraceptive users. Only 41.2% used a more extended acting method, mostly an IUD. Older age, lower education level, lower-income, area of origin and husband’s residency were associated with IUD use. Lower-income, husband’s residence, and stronger fertility desire were related to recent unintended pregnancy.
The study results provide evidence that migrant women in China are relying more than ever on less effective contraception methods. Unintended pregnancy and abortion are common. China’s current informed choice model needs to be improved by providing better health education before and after migration and easy access to health and reproductive health care services.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13625187.2020.1820979
