Preferences for Contraceptive Attributes: Voices of Women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Ten focus group discussions were held in 1994 with 77 low-income women living in 10 neighborhoods in Cuidad Juarez Mexico on the attributes of contraceptive methods. Study participants were aged 15-49 years and had had either 1-3 or 4 or more births. They strongly preferred highly effective contraceptives such as the oral pill monthly injections and the IUD which allow users to maintain regular monthly bleeding without unpleasant side effects. Monthly bleeding reassured women that the method had prevented pregnancy. Keeping method use secret from partners was important only to some women. Obstacles to method acceptance included unwanted bleeding partners objections fear that an irreversible method may produce intolerable side effects concern that providers would insert a device without consent fear of not being able to conceive quickly after stopping use and discomfort with having to interrupt intimacy or touch oneself to insert a contraceptive.