Oral contraception: Current use and attitudes

Oral contraception (OC) has been available for almost four decades. During this time, changes in contraceptive use in general and OC in particular hav e occurred. Knowledge and attitudes about OC may not always reflect trends in use. Contraceptive use data from 1965-1995 show that OC continue to be t he method chosen consistently by more than one-quarter of women contracepto rs. Probably even more women would use the pill if they had more accurate i nformation regarding the higher failure rates with barrier methods (especia lly the condom), if misperceptions about OC safety were put to rest, and if greater awareness of the noncontraceptive health benefits of OC could be a chieved. Increased education and awareness of women as well as their health care providers has the potential to positively affect future contraceptive use. CONTRACEPTION 1999;59: 17S-20S (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All righ ts reserved.