NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Current Contraceptive Status Among Women Aged 15–49: 

United States, 2017–2019

Kimberly Daniels, Ph.D., and Joyce C. Abma, Ph.D.

Key findings

Data from the 2017–2019 

National Survey of Family 

Growth

● In 2017–2019, 65.3% of

women aged 15–49 in the

United States were currently

using contraception.

● The most common

contraceptive methods currently

used were female sterilization

(18.1%), oral contraceptive

pills (14.0%), long-acting

reversible contraceptives

(LARCs) (10.4%), and the male

condom (8.4%).

● Use of LARCs was higher

among women aged 20–29

(13.7%) and 30–39 (12.7%)

compared with women

aged 15–19 (5.8%) and

40–49 (6.6%).

● Current condom use was

higher among Hispanic women

(10.5%) and non-Hispanic

black women (11.0%)

compared with non-Hispanic

white women (7.0%).

● With higher education,

female sterilization declined

and use of the pill increased.

Nearly all women use contraception in their lifetimes (1), although at any 

given time, they may not be using contraception for reasons such as seeking 

pregnancy, being pregnant or postpartum, or not being sexually active. Using 

data from the 2017–2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), this 

report provides a snapshot of current contraceptive status, in the month of 

interview, among women aged 15–49 in the United States. In addition to 

describing use of any method by age, Hispanic origin and race, and education, 

patterns of use are described for the four most commonly used contraceptive 

methods: female sterilization; oral contraceptive pills; long-acting reversible 

contraceptives (LARCs), which include contraceptive implants and 

intrauterine devices; and the male condom.

In 2017–2019, approximately 65% of women aged 15–49 were 

currently using contraception. 

Figure 1. Percentage of women currently using any contraceptive method among all women aged 

15–49 and by age group, Hispanic origin and race, and education: United States, 2017–2019

1Includes persons of other and multiple race and origin groups, not shown separately.

2Significant linear trend across all four age groups.

3Significantly different from non-Hispanic black women and Hispanic women.

NOTES: The population size referenced for women aged 15–49 is 72.7 million. Analyses of education are limited to women aged 

22–49 at the time of interview. Less than high school is no high school diploma or GED. Access data table for Figure 1 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db388-tables-508.pdf#1.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Survey of Family Growth, 2017–2019.

0 20 40 60 80

Percent

69.1

71.3

70.0

71.2

61.4

69.2

60.5

74.8

72.3

60.9

38.7

65.3

Bachelor's degree or higher

Some college, no bachelor's degree

High school diploma or GED

Less than high school

Hispanic origin and race

Education

Age group2

Total1

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic white3

Non-Hispanic black

15–19

20–29

30–39

40–49

NCHS reports can be downloaded from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/index.htm.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■ 2  ■

● In 2017–2019, 65.3% of women aged 15–49 in the United States were currently using a

method of contraception (Figure 1).

● Current contraceptive use increased with age, from 38.7% among women aged 15–19 to

74.8% among women aged 40–49.

● The percentage of non-Hispanic white women currently using contraception (69.2%) was

higher compared with non-Hispanic black (61.4%) and Hispanic (60.5%) women.

● Current contraceptive use did not differ significantly across education (69.1%–71.3%).

Female sterilization, the pill, the male condom, and LARCs were the most 

common methods women reported currently using in 2017–2019.

● The most common contraceptive methods currently used among women aged 15–49 were

female sterilization (18.1%), the pill (14.0%), LARCs (10.4%), and the male condom

(8.4%) (Figure 2).

● In 2017–2019, approximately 35% of women aged 15–49 were not currently using

contraception, including for reasons such as seeking pregnancy, being pregnant or

postpartum, or not being sexually active.

Figure 2. Percent distribution of women aged 15–49, by current contraceptive status: United States, 2017–2019

1Additional categories of nonusers, such as nonsurgical sterility, are shown in the accompanying data table.

2Other methods grouped in this category are shown in the accompanying data table.

NOTES: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. Women currently using more than one method are classifed according to the most effective method 

they are using. Long-acting reversible contraceptives include contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices. Access data table for Figure 2 at:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db388-tables-508.pdf#2.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Survey of Family Growth, 2017–2019.

5.7

10.4

8.4

14.0

5.6

18.1

3.0

7.0

7.8

16.8

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent

Current contraceptive status

34.7% of

women not

currently using

contraception

65.3% of

women

currently using

contraception

Never had sexual intercourse or did not 

have sex in past 3 months 

Pregnant, postpartum, or seeking pregnancy

Nonuser who had sexual intercourse in 

past 3 months

All other nonusers1

Female sterilization

Male sterilization

Oral contraceptive pill

Long-acting reversible contraceptives

Depo-Provera, contraceptive ring, or patch

Male condom

3.1

All other contraceptive methods2
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■  3  ■

Current use of female sterilization, the pill, the male condom, and LARCs 

varied by age.

● Among women aged 20 and over, female sterilization increased with increasing age 

(Figure 3). Roughly 2 in 5 women aged 40–49 (39.1%) were relying on female sterilization 

for contraception compared with 1 in 5 women aged 30–39 (21.2%).

● Pill use generally decreased with increasing age: 19.5% of women aged 15–19 and 21.6% of 

women aged 20–29 were currently using the pill compared with 10.9% of those aged 30–39, 

and 6.5% of women aged 40–49.

● Condom use was similar among women aged 20–29 (10.4%) and 30–39 (9.7%); use was 

lower among women aged 15–19 (5.1%) and 40–49 (6.5%). The observed difference 

between women aged 15–19 and those aged 40–49 was not statistically significant. 

● Use of LARCs was similar among women aged 20–29 (13.7%) and 30–39 (12.7%). 

Compared with these age groups, use was lower among women aged 15–19 (5.8%) and 

40–49 (6.6%).

Figure 3. Percentage of all women aged 15–49 who were currently using female sterilization, oral contraceptive pills, the 

male condom, or long-acting reversible contraceptives, by age group: United States, 2017–2019

* Percentage does not meet National Center for Health Statistics standards of reliability.

1Significant linear trend.

2Percentages for age groups 20–29 and 30–39 were higher than percentages for age groups 15–19 and 40–49. Differences between percentages for 

other age groups were not statistically significant.

NOTES: Women currently using more than one method are classified according to the most effective method they are using. Long-acting reversible 

contraceptives include contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices. Access data table for Figure 3 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db388-tables-508.pdf#3.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Survey of Family Growth, 2017–2019.

15–19 20–29 30–39 40–49

Pill1 Male condom2 Long-acting reversible 

contraceptives2

Female sterilization1

0

10

20

30

40

50

Percent

19.5

5.1 5.8

2.9

21.6

10.4

13.7

21.2

10.9 9.7

12.7

39.1

6.5 6.5 6.6

*
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■  4  ■

Current use of the pill and the male condom varied by Hispanic origin 

and race.

● Female sterilization did not differ significantly across Hispanic-origin and race groups: 

19.9% among Hispanic, 18.5% among non-Hispanic white, and 17.6% among non-Hispanic 

black women (Figure 4). 

● Current use of the pill was higher among non-Hispanic white women (17.8%) than among 

Hispanic (7.9%) and non-Hispanic black (8.1%) women.

● Current condom use was lower among non-Hispanic white women (7.0%) compared with 

Hispanic (10.5%) and non-Hispanic black (11.0%) women.

● Current use of LARCs did not significantly differ across the Hispanic-origin and race groups 

shown, around 10%–11%.

Figure 4. Percentage of all women aged 15–49 who were currently using female sterilization, oral contraceptive pills, 

the male condom, or long-acting reversible contraceptives, by Hispanic origin and race: United States, 2017–2019 

1Percentage for non-Hispanic white women is significantly different from percentages for Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women.

NOTES: Women currently using more than one method are classifed according to the most effective method they are using. Long-acting reversible

contraceptives include contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices. Access data table for Figure 4 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db388-tables-508.pdf#4.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Survey of Family Growth, 2017–2019.

Percent

19.9

7.9

10.5 10.3

18.5

17.8

7.0

10.9

17.6

8.1

11.0 10.9

0

5

10

15

20

25

Pill1 Male condom1 Long-acting reversible 

contraceptives

Female sterilization

Hispanic Non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic black
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■  5  ■

Current use of female sterilization, the pill, and LARCs varied by 

educational attainment while male condom use did not.

● Among women aged 22–49, female sterilization declined with higher education, from 

39.9% among women without a high school diploma or GED to 12.1% of women with a 

bachelor’s degree or higher (Figure 5). 

● Current pill use increased with higher education: 18.1% of women with a bachelor’s 

degree or higher were using the pill compared with 5.7% of women without a high school 

diploma or GED.

● Current male condom use was similar across education, around 9%.

● Current use of LARCs was higher for women with some college but no bachelor’s degree 

(12.5%) and women with a bachelor’s degree or higher (13.1%) compared with women with 

a high school diploma or GED (7.9%), but was not significantly different from use among 

women without a high school diploma or GED (9.3%).

Figure 5. Percentage of all women aged 22–49 who were currently using female sterilization, oral contraceptive pills, the 

male condom, or long-acting reversible contraceptives, by educational attainment: United States, 2017–2019 

1Significant linear trend.

2Percentages for some college, no bachelor’s degree and bachelor’s degree or higher are significantly different from that for high school diploma or GED.

NOTES: Women currently using more than one method are classifed according to the most effective method they are using. Long-acting reversible

contraceptives include contraceptive implants and intrauterine devices. Access date table for Figure 5 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db388-tables-508.pdf#5.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Survey of Family Growth, 2017–2019.

39.9

5.7

8.7 9.3

31.5

6.8

9.3 7.9

22.2

10.8 8.7

12.5 12.1

18.1

8.6

13.1

Bachelor's degree 

or higher

Some college, but no 

bachelor's degree

High school diploma 

or GED

No high school 

diploma or GED 

Pill1 Male condom Long-acting reversible 

contraceptives2

Female sterilization1

0

10

20

30

40

50

Percent
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■  6  ■

Summary

In 2017–2019, approximately 65% of women aged 15–49 were using some type of contraceptive 

method, while 35% were not currently using a method. Current use of any method of 

contraception was higher among older women and non-Hispanic white women compared with 

younger women and Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women. The most commonly used 

methods were female sterilization (18.1%), oral contraceptive pills (14.0%), LARCs (10.4%), and 

the male condom (8.4%). Use of these methods varied across age, Hispanic origin and race, and 

education. 

Understanding variation in contraceptive use across social and demographic characteristics offers 

potential insight into larger fertility patterns, including birth rates and incidence of unintended 

pregnancies. The chance that a woman not seeking a pregnancy will have an unintended 

pregnancy varies by whether any method of contraception is used and which method she or her 

partner uses (2). 

Definitions

Age: The respondent’s age at the time of the interview. The recode variable used was AGER.

Current contraceptive status: Measures contraceptive status in the month of the interview (not at a 

specific act of sexual intercourse). This variable includes either use of specific methods or, if the 

woman did not use a method in the month of interview, nonuse of contraceptive methods using 

the following subcategories: pregnant, seeking pregnancy, postpartum, noncontraceptive sterility, 

sexual inactivity (ever or in the past 3 months), or sexually active in the past 3 months and no 

method used in the month of interview. In this report, as in prior NSFG reports, women who 

were currently using more than one method are classified by the method that was most effective 

in preventing pregnancy, because that method has the greatest impact on their risk of unintended 

pregnancy (2). For example, women who report using both oral contraceptive pills and male 

condoms in the current month are classified as using pills, because pills are more effective at 

preventing pregnancy. In 2017–2019, 11.2% of women who were currently using contraception 

used more than one contraceptive method during the same month. The recode variable used was 

CONSTAT1. Although not done in this report, this set of recodes (CONSTAT1–CONSTAT4 

for each method used in the month of interview) also allows for analyses of any use of each 

specific method.

Education: Educational attainment at the time of interview, indicating the highest degree earned 

or grade finished. Results by education are presented only for women aged 22 and over, as many 

younger women have not completed their education (79.5% of women aged 15–21 were in school 

at the time of interview, analysis not shown). The recode variable used was HIEDUC. 

Hispanic origin and race: The 1997 Office of Management and Budget guidelines for the 

presentation of race and Hispanic-origin data in federal statistics are used for these classifications 

(3). The guidelines allowing respondents to report more than one race or ethnic origin are 

followed in the recode variable, HISPRACE2. Given the diversity of women categorized as 

non-Hispanic other single and multiple race, those results are not shown here, and the report 

presents results only for women who are Hispanic, non-Hispanic white single race, and 

non-Hispanic black single race.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

■  7  ■

Data source and methods

This report is primarily based on data from the 6,141 women in the female respondent file of 

the 2017–2019 NSFG and provides an update of an earlier 2015–2017 NSFG report on current 

contraceptive status (4). Among other information, NSFG provides detailed information about 

contraceptive use among U.S. women aged 15–49. The fieldwork plan, interview content, and 

other survey procedures are similar to previous surveys (5). NSFG is jointly planned and funded 

by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and several other programs of the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. All estimates in this report are weighted to reflect 

the female household population aged 15–49 of the United States at the midpoint of 2017–2019 

interviewing (July 2018). The response rate for the 2017–2019 NSFG was 63.4% overall, 65.2% 

for female respondents, and 61.4% for male respondents. 

Statistics for this report were produced using the SURVEY procedures in SAS software version 

9.4. Percentages were compared using two-tailed t tests at the 5% level. No adjustments were 

made for multiple comparisons. Survey clusters minus strata were used as the degrees of 

freedom for significance testing of pairwise comparisons. A weighted least squares regression 

was used to test for linear trends across age and education using the number of categories minus 

two as the degrees of freedom. If no linear trend was found across age and education, limited 

pairwise comparisons were tested. Statistical power to detect differences between groups was 

limited for some comparisons. The data presented in this report are bivariate associations that 

may be explained by other factors not controlled for in the figures or included in the report. For 

example, women at older ages are more likely to have completed their childbearing compared 

with women at younger ages. Therefore, women at younger ages would be more likely to choose 

nonpermanent contraceptive methods including the pill, male condom, and LARCs compared 

with female sterilization, a mostly permanent form of contraception (4,6). Some of the differences 

in contraceptive use by age, particularly use of barrier methods such as the condom, may be 

explained by differences in sexual activity. For example, 67.6% of females aged 15–19 did not 

have sex in the past 3 months compared with 20.9% of women aged 20–49 (analysis not shown). 

All estimates presented meet NCHS guidelines for presentation of proportions (7).

About the authors

Kimberly Daniels and Joyce C. Abma are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division 

of Vital Statistics, Reproductive Statistics Branch.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 388 ■ October 2020

References

1. Daniels K, Mosher WD, Jones J. Contraceptive methods women have 

ever used: United States, 1982–2010. National Health Statistics Reports; no 

62. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2013. 

2. Sundaram A, Vaughn B, Kost K, Bankole A, Finer L, Singh S, Trussell 

J. Contraceptive failure in the United States: Estimates from the 2006–2010 

National Survey of Family Growth. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 49(1):7–16. 

2017.

3. Office of Management and Budget. Revisions to the standards 

for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity. Fed Regist 

62(210):58781–90. 1997. Available from: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/

pkg/FR-1997-10-30/pdf/97-28653.pdf. 

4. Daniels K, Abma JC. Current contraceptive status among women aged 

15–49: United States, 2015–2017. NCHS Data Brief, no 327. Hyattsville, 

MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.

5. National Center for Health Statistics. 2015–2017 National Survey of 

Family Growth (NSFG): Summary of design and data collection methods. 

Hyattsville, MD. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nsfg/PUF3-

NSFG-2015-2017-Summary-of-DesignDataCollection_02Oct2019.pdf. 

6. Daniels K, Daugherty J, Jones J, Mosher W. Current contraceptive use 

and variation by selected characteristics among women aged 15–44: 

United States, 2011–2013. National Health Statistics Reports; no 86. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015. 

7. Parker JD, Talih M, Malec DJ, Beresovsky V, Carroll M, Gonzalez JF 

Jr, et al. National Center for Health Statistics data presentation standards for 

proportions. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2(175). 

2017.

Keywords: pill • condom • LARC • National Survey of Family Growth

Suggested citation

Daniels K, Abma JC. Current contraceptive 

status among women aged 15–49: 

United States, 2017–2019. NCHS Data 

Brief, no 388. Hyattsville, MD: National 

Center for Health Statistics. 2020.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director

Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Acting Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Vital Statistics

Steven Schwartz, Ph.D., Director

Isabelle Horon, Dr.P.H., Acting Associate 

Director for Science

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