Demographic and Health Surveys Methodology - Measure DHS

C. The reason for discontinuation is noted in the second column of the reproductive calendar in thebox that corresponds to the month of discontinuation.Handling of Missing ValuesInformation on use of contraception is not allowed to be missing in any month in the calendar. Missingreasons for discontinuation are treated as “Other” reasons.Notes and ConsiderationsThe distribution of reasons for discontinuation is a little different than that obtained in the calculation ofdiscontinuation rates. In the distribution, all discontinuations in the five years preceding the survey areincluded, whereas in the calculation of the discontinuation rates, only those that ended within the first 12months of use are included. Also, censored episodes are not included in the rate calculations.Methods that have less than 25 discontinued episodes (unweighted) are not shown because of largesampling variance.Changes over TimeThe list of specific methods and their categorization has changed.In DHS I and II surveys, modern methods included pill, IUD, injection, vaginal methods, condom, femalesterilization, and male sterilization. The vaginal methods included in a single group diaphragm, foam, andjelly. Traditional methods included periodic abstinence (of any kind), withdrawal, and all respondentmentionedother methods.In DHS III surveys, modern methods included pill, IUD, injection, vaginal methods, condom, femalesterilization, male sterilization, and implants. Traditional methods included periodic abstinence (of anykind), withdrawal, and lactational amenorrhea. Folk methods included respondent-mentioned othermethods and were categorized separately from traditional methods.In Measure DHS+ (DHS IV) surveys, emergency contraception was added to the list of contraceptivemethods but is not included as a separate method for current use (i.e., included in “others”). Thequestionnaire allows for more than one method to be currently used. For specific methods, the followinghierarchy is used to tabulate current use: female sterilization, male sterilization, contraceptive pill,intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), contraceptive injection, contraceptive implants (Norplant),condoms, vaginal methods (foam, jelly, suppository), lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), periodicabstinence, withdrawal, other methods.Guide to DHS Statistics 59 Updated September 2006