Objectives: To describe the current contraception usage patterns from a cohort of Australian Indigenous women, including their ideal family size and spacing between children.
Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data (2012-2019).
Setting: Data are from a longitudinal study, the Gomeroi gaaynggal (babies from Gomeroi lands) program, based in rural and remote Gomeroi lands in New South Wales.
Participants: Women carrying an Indigenous baby who enrolled during pregnancy were eligible for the study. The mother and child are then followed for up to 10 years.
Main outcome measures: Contraception usage in the postnatal period was recorded, as well as whether they were sexually active, whether they wanted more children and their preferred spacing between children. Medical, social and demographic information was also collected. These measures were self-reported via an online tool (Survey Monkey® ) at their first visit to the study following the birth of their child.
Results: Ninety-nine women were included in the analysis. Most women reported that they were sexually active at the time they were questioned about their contraceptive usage. The most popular contraception choices were condoms, the oral contraceptive pill and implant rods. Those answering that they did not want more children had a median of three children already. Those who wanted more children had a median of one child. The majority of the women stated that 2-3 years between babies was ideal.
Conclusion: The sampled women had clear beliefs about their ideal family size, in which contraceptive usage played an important part.
Keywords: Aboriginal health; contraception; family planning; pregnancy; womens health.
© 2020 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.