Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations University of Queenlsand Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

 
 


Younger women and reproductive health

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health is well placed to provide rich information about the reproductive health of women from their early sexual experiences in their late teens and early twenties into decisions about motherhood and fertility in their twenties and thirties. The figure shows the contraceptive choices made by the Younger women at each survey. The proportion of women who are not using contraception increases noticeably across Survey 2 to Survey 4, after a drop between Surveys 1 and 2. Women are more likely to be trying to conceive as they get older and this is evident in the increasing proportion of women who are pregnant or choose not to use contraception. Oral contraceptives are the most commonly used method at each survey but use decreases over time with other methods such as Implanon increasing in popularity. The proportion of women using a condom only has remained steady over time. A number of projects examining sexual and reproductive health are currently in progress and further information is available on the website.

Contraceptive choice among Younger women aged 18-23.

References
1. Bryson L. Motherhood and gender relations: Where to in the twenty-first century? Just Policy, 2001; 24: 12-23.
2. Duke J, Sibbritt D & Young A. Is there an association between the use of oral contraception and depressive symptoms in young Australian women? Contraception, 2007; 75: 27-31.

For further information on reproductive health, see our other publications:


Papers

  • Bryson L, Brown W & Strazzari S. Shaping families: Women, control and contraception. Family Matters, 1999; 53: 31-38.
  • Warner-Smith P & Imbruglia C. Motherhood, employment and health: Is there a deepening divide between women. Just Policy, 2001; 24: 24-32.
  • Bryson L. Motherhood and gender relations: Where to in the twenty-first century? Just Policy, 2001; 24: 12-23.
  • Miller-Lewis L, Wade T & Lee C. Risk factors for pregnancy and childbearing in single young women: Evidence from The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. International Journal of Behavioural Development, 2005; 29(4): 292-303.
  • Lee C & Gramotnev H. Motherhood plans among young Australian women: Who wants children these days? Journal of Health Psychology, 2006; 11(1): 5-20.
  • McDermott LJ, Dobson AJ & Owen N. From partying to parenthood: young women's perceptions of cigarette smoking across life transitions. Health Education Research, 2006; 21(3): 428-429.
  • Miller-Lewis L, Wade T & Lee C. Psychosocial risk factors for pregnancy risk-taking in young women in emerging adulthood: Evidence from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Australian Journal of Psychology, 2006; 58(1): 17-30.
  • Lee C & Gramotnev H. Predictors and correlates of coping well with early motherhood in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 2006; 11(4): 411-424.
  • Kelaher M, Dunt D & Dodson S. Unemployment, contraceptive behaviour and reproductive outcomes among young Australian women. Health Policy, 2007; 82(1): 95-101.


 
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Last updated: 10th January 2008 by Cath Chojenta © Copyright