Methodological innovations for evidencing and estimating the prevalence of traditional contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa

An estimated 55 million married women in LMICs use traditional methods of contraception. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), traditional methods use is estimated at 4.1% in West and Central Africa and 2.9% in East and Southern Africa. Many demographers have speculated that the actual prevalence of traditional methods in SSA could be higher than the estimates reported in national surveys. Yet, only a few studies have interrogated the actual prevalence of traditional methods in the region. Drawing on recently collected data in four SSA countries, we test various methodological innovations for estimating the true prevalence of traditional methods. The results showed that probing during interviews increased the percentage of women reporting traditional method use. Also, revising the standard approach for estimating contraceptive prevalence increases the percentage reporting traditional method use. The current study demonstrates the need to explore ways of capturing and estimating traditional contraceptive use in national surveys.