Low contraceptive uptake among women of reproductive age continues to contribute to unintended pregnancies in Gauteng, with the provincial health department reporting that fewer than a third of eligible women accessed contraceptive services during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
The Gauteng Department of Health said 32.45% of eligible women accessed contraceptive services during the quarter, below the provincial target of 43%.
The department said available data showed that an estimated 75% of unintended pregnancies in South Africa were linked to low contraceptive use.
The figures come as the province and reproductive health specialists mark World Contraception Day, which is being observed globally under the theme “No Barriers, Just Choices: Contraceptive Access Now”.
The Gauteng Department of Health said the low uptake of contraception contributed significantly to the number of women requiring Choice on Termination of Pregnancy services.
While termination of pregnancy services remain freely available at public healthcare facilities, the department said it was concerned that women continued to miss opportunities to prevent unintended pregnancies despite the availability of contraceptive methods at public health facilities.
The department is encouraging women and girls of reproductive age to seek information and counselling from healthcare professionals about the contraceptive options available to them.
These include long-acting reversible contraceptives such as the Subdermal Implanon and intrauterine contraceptive devices, including Copper T.
The province also provides injectable contraceptives such as Nur-Isterate and Depo-Provera, as well as oral contraceptives including Triphasil, Microval and Nordette.
The department said misconceptions and fears about contraception remained barriers to uptake.
Some women have expressed concerns about side effects and possible infertility, but the department said these concerns were often linked to inadequate knowledge and misinformation about contraceptive options.
It said contraceptive services were available free of charge at public healthcare facilities, including clinics, community health centres, hospitals and mobile health services.
Trained healthcare professionals provide counselling as well as insertion and removal services for long-acting reversible contraceptives.
The department has also entered into service-level agreements with selected private healthcare providers to expand access to contraceptive services and share service data with the province.
During the 2025/26 financial year, the Gauteng Department of Health provided contraceptive services to 2,915,945 women of reproductive age.
The department said young people could also access contraceptive services through Youth Zones at healthcare facilities.
These dedicated services provide young people with access to contraceptives, information and support in a safe and confidential environment, including after-school hours.
The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG) is also using World Contraception Day to address what it describes as persistent myths surrounding contraception.
SASOG is urging women to have open conversations with healthcare providers about contraceptive choices.
Its 2026 campaign uses the theme “A choice for all – agency, intention, access”, highlighting the range of contraceptive options available to women.
SASOG president Professor Bhorat said access to accurate information and a range of contraceptive choices enabled women to make decisions about pregnancy and family planning.
“Contraception is one of the most powerful tools we have to give women agency over their own lives,” Bhorat said.
She said healthcare providers had a role in ensuring women could make informed choices without judgement.
SASOG is also seeking to correct several common misconceptions about contraception.
One of the myths addressed by the organisation is that contraception causes infertility.
SASOG said fertility returns quickly after stopping almost all modern contraceptive methods, including long-acting options such as implants and intrauterine devices.
The organisation also said there was no medical need for women to take a “break” from hormonal contraception every few years if the method remained suitable for them.
Another misconception is that intrauterine devices are only suitable for women who have previously had children.
SASOG said modern IUDs were safe and effective for most women, including women who had not given birth.
The organisation also said contraception did not have to be complicated or unaffordable, with counselling and a range of contraceptive methods available through public healthcare services.
However, contraception does not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted infections.
The Gauteng Department of Health is encouraging sexually active people to use condoms consistently and correctly to reduce the risk of HIV transmission and STIs.
HIV prevention options, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Lenacapavir, are also available through public healthcare facilities.
Public healthcare facilities in Gauteng provide additional sexual and reproductive health services, including pregnancy testing, antenatal care, STI screening and treatment, breast and cervical cancer screening, and HIV counselling and testing.
The department said its focus remained on expanding equitable access to reproductive healthcare and encouraging women and young people to use available services.
With contraceptive services available across the public healthcare system, the province is urging communities to seek reliable information from healthcare professionals and make informed decisions about reproductive health.
