Perceptions of health risks associated with pregnancy compared to oral contraceptive use

Objective: To assess beliefs about the safety of oral contraceptives compared to pregnancy to determine if men and women possess accurate information to make informed choices. Study design: In each of six surveys conducted in Southern California from 2008 to 2017, participants were asked "Which do you think is more hazardous to a woman's health - birth control pills or pregnancy?" Results: A total of 28.4% of all 1839 male and female respondents and 29.1% of the 1712 female respondents answered correctly that the health risks posed by pregnancy were greater. In subgroup analyses, 64.4%-81.9% rated oral contraceptives at least as hazardous to a woman's health as pregnancy. Conclusion: The vast majority of respondents incorrectly believed that oral contraceptives are more hazardous than pregnancy. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.