Use of contraception by women seeking termination of pregnancy

The objective was to assess usage and methods of contraception of women seeking termination of pregnancy, by survey of all clients seeking termination of pregnancy over a five year period at the Marie Stopes Centre, 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 women seeking abortion. In this study the percentage of women not using contraception 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 abortions 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 seeking termination of pregnancy had experienced condom failure. An increased awareness of correct condom use, the use of condoms with a supplementary method of contraception, and an awareness of the availability of emergency contraception following a potential contraceptive failure, needs to be undertaken as a matter of urgency.