Contraception at age 35+: evidence from the Generations and Gender Survey

Irina Troitskaia, Moscow State University
Alexandre Avdeev, Université de Paris I, Sorbonne
Irina Badurashvili, Georgian Centre of Population Research
Dora Kostova, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Vaida Tretjakova, Institute for Social Research

In the proposed paper the authors compare the contraceptive behaviour of women older than 35 years in five European countries: Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Lithuania and Russia. The investigation is based on the data from the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS) held in the above countries in 2004-2006. About 6000 female respondents at age 35-49 were chosen for the statistical analysis. The results show a significant differentiation between the countries. Respondents from the Eastern Europe, in comparison with France, demonstrate a contraceptive behaviour which is characterized by a lower proportion of users of modern methods and a higher unmet need in contraception. The authors try to answer a question whether this differentiation is caused by reproductive behaviour and socio-demographic characteristics of respondents or determined by certain national-level variables.