NSFG 2022-2023 · 5,586 women surveyed · EA-1 — Birth Control Pills
Birth Control Pills — Who Walks Away
How we get to the number
3,485 Ever used Birth Control Pills: respondents where this method appears in their contraceptive history (RECODE ever-use flag).
1,008 Stopped due to dissatisfaction: of those, respondents with METHSTOP code 3 in any METHSTOP01–09 slot (EA-1 / EA-17 section). Unique respondent count — multiple mentions of the same method are counted once.
The remaining 2,477 women either continued using the pill, stopped for other reasons (wanting to get pregnant, relationship change, etc.), or were never dissatisfied with any method.
The takeaway
28.9%
Of all women who ever used birth control pills explicitly stopped using it because they were unhappy with it.
1008 out of 3485 birth control pills users
2477
Used birth control pills but did not stop it due to dissatisfaction — they either continued, switched for other reasons, or were never dissatisfied.
71.1% of birth control pills users
1008
Women who explicitly named birth control pills as a method they stopped due to dissatisfaction.
out of 3485 total birth control pills users
2,477 = n_users − n_stopped = 3,485 − 1,008 (users who did not stop due to dissatisfaction)
1,008 = unique respondents with METHSTOP code 3 in any METHSTOP01–09 slot; source: EA-17. See funnel for details.
EI-1 · Why current users stay on the pill
Birth control / contraception
555 · 71.2%
To regulate menstrual periods
316 · 40.6%
Cramps or pain during menstrual periods
268 · 34.4%
To reduce menstrual bleeding
199 · 25.5%
Treatment for acne
110 · 14.1%
Other reasons
72 · 9.2%
Treatment for endometriosis
33 · 4.2%
Treatment for hot flashes / peri-menopausal symptoms
17 · 2.2%
Universe: 779 women who used the pill in the current or prior month (EI-1 YUSEPILL1–6). Each respondent may mention up to 6 reasons — percentages do not sum to 100%. n = unique women citing this reason across any mention slot. Refused / Don't Know excluded. 2022–2023 cycle only.
Variable map — EI-1 (current users)
Multi-response question: YUSEPILL1–6 — up to 6 reason slots per respondent.
n = unique respondents citing this reason in any slot. Refused / Don't Know excluded. Universe is current or prior-month users only, not all ever-users.
Percentages do not sum to 100% because each respondent may cite multiple reasons simultaneously.
EA-18 · Why they walked away
Had side effects (e.g. weight gain, headaches)
639 · 63.3%
Too difficult to use (remembering to take)
278 · 27.5%
Did not like changes to menstrual cycle
227 · 22.5%
Worried about possible side effects
123 · 12.2%
Other reason
94 · 9.3%
Doctor advised stopping due to other health problems
87 · 8.6%
Decreased sexual pleasure
85 · 8.4%
Method failed — became pregnant
50 · 5.0%
Worried the method would not work
38 · 3.8%
Too expensive
25 · 2.5%
Insurance did not cover it
23 · 2.3%
Too difficult to obtain
22 · 2.2%
Did not protect against disease / STIs
19 · 1.9%
Partner did not like it
5 · 0.5%
Too messy
4 · 0.4%
Universe: 1,010 women who stopped the pill due to dissatisfaction (EA-17 METHSTOP = 3). Each respondent may mention up to 7 reasons — percentages do not sum to 100%. n = number of unique women who cited this reason across any mention slot. 2022–2023 cycle only.
Variable map — EA-18 (walk-away reasons)
Multi-response question: up to 7 reason slots per stopped method; source: EA-18 section.
n = unique respondents citing this reason in any slot. Percentages do not sum to 100%.
Universe (1,010) is the count of respondents with EA-18 data for this method. A small gap versus the EA-17 METHSTOP count (if any) reflects NSFG routing: some respondents may have answered EA-18 reasons without a matching EA-17 entry. Both figures are reported as observed in the raw data.