USE OF CONTRACEPTION BY WOMEN SEEKING TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

The objective was to assess usage and methods of contraception of wome n seeking termination of pregnancy, by survey of all clients seeking t ermination of pregnancy over a five year period at the Marie Stopes Ce ntre, Leeds, a pregnancy advisory bureau. The subjects were 4666 women attending for counselling prior to termination of pregnancy. The main outcome measures were the extent of contraceptive practice among wome n seeking abortion. In this study the percentage of women not using co ntraception fell over time in direct relation to a rise in condom use. In 1993 46.4 per cent of women presenting at the centre seeking abort ions stated that they had used condoms and experienced method failure. Condom use was evenly distributed across all age groups. use of other methods remained constant over time. A significant number of women se eking termination of pregnancy had experienced condom failure. An incr eased awareness of correct condom use, the use of condoms with a suppl ementary method of contraception, and an awareness of the availability of emergency contraception following a potential contraceptive failur e, needs to be undertaken as a matter of urgency.