{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,24]],"date-time":"2026-06-24T03:16:47Z","timestamp":1782271007910,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,20]],"date-time":"2023-04-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1681948800000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":19,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001322","name":"South African Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["207501517"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["207501517"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,23]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study explored women\u2019s experiences of using contraceptive methods in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>In October 2021, we conducted a qualitative study at Umlazi Township in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, through face-to-face in-depth interviews.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Participants<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Women from four primary healthcare facilities were recruited through a criterion-based sampling strategy. Using NVivo V.11, two skilled researchers independently conducted thematic data analysis, as a mechanism for quality assurance, before the results were collated and reconciled.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The study included 15 female participants, aged between 18 and 35 years, of whom two-thirds were aged 18\u201324 years. We found that women were concerned about unpleasant contraceptive methods side effects such as prolonged or irregular menstrual periods, bleeding, weight gain and\/or severe pains, resulting in discontinuation of their use. In addition to contraceptive stockouts, women indicated that healthcare providers did not appropriately counsel or inform them about the available contraceptive methods, including how to use them. Key themes included the following: negative effects of contraceptive methods; stockouts of preferred contraceptive methods; inconsistent or incorrect use of contraceptive methods; lack of counselling regarding contracepive methods; and misconceptions about contraception.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Interventions aimed at reducing contraceptive stockouts are required to ensure that women are empowered to choose contraception based on their own preference, convenience and\/or experience. It is imperative that counselling on contraceptive methods\u2019 side effects be improved, to ensure that women have freedom to make informed decisions about their preferred method, proper management of side effects and to assist them with method switching as needed, instead of discontinuation.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2022-063034","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,20]],"date-time":"2023-04-20T12:33:11Z","timestamp":1681993991000},"page":"e063034","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["\u2018In fact, that\u2019s when I stopped using contraception\u2019: a qualitative study exploring women\u2019s experiences of using contraceptive methods in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5352-5658","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mbuzeleni","family":"Hlongwa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa"},{"name":"Public Health, Societies and Belonging programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chipo","family":"Mutambo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Khumbulani","family":"Hlongwana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing and Public Health Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa"},{"name":"Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025101810220885000_13.4.e063034.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bongaarts J , Cleland JC , Townsend J , et al . 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