CONTRACEPTIVE PRACTICES OF WOMEN ATTENDING FOR TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY - A STUDY FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA

This paper reviews the contraceptive practices of 1407 women presentin g to Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) Termination of Pregnancy Clinic (Ad elaide, South Australia). Data were obtained over a six year period, f rom January 1988 to December 1993. The most frequent causes of unplann ed pregnancy were contraceptive failure (59 per cent) and unprotected intercourse (41 per cent). Women with a history of previous abortion w ere more likely than other women to have been using contraception at t he time of the current pregnancy and were also more likely to have bee n using more effective forms of contraception. Over the six year perio d, the incidence of unprotected intercourse decreased significantly, t he use of hormonal methods of contraception remained relatively consta nt and the use of barrier methods increased significantly. Before abor tion, older women were more likely than younger women to have been usi ng barrier contraception. Following abortion, there was a general shif t by all women towards increased use of hormonal methods, but the age pattern remained with older women continuing to use barrier methods mo re frequently than younger women. Women who experienced failed condoms were more likely than other women to use post coital contraception. E mergency post coital contraception was utilised by three per cent of s ubjects.