| Abstract: | ![]()
This document presents data on contraception gathered on 1000 women who underwent voluntary induced abortion at the Minor Obstetric Surgery and Gynecologic Ward of the University of Rome, Italy. 33.4% of women were from outside of Rome; 61.3% were between 18-30, and only 6.2 were minors; 50.3% were unmarried and 49.7% were married; more than 50.8% had a high school education; 79.2% of requests for abortion were urgent, and most were done between the 7th and 9th week of gestation. Prior to the abortion only 40% of women had sometimes used an effective contraceptive method, i.e. 308 women had used the pill, 28 the IUD, and 25 the diaphragm. Of the remaining women 20%, or 210, had never used contraception, and 40%, or 421 women, relied on coitus interruptus, which remains the method of choice. 84 women used the Ogino-Knaus method, 60 used spermicidal agents, and 85 the condom. 841 women came back for a control visit; after appropriate counseling, medical and psychological, 203 women chose the IUD and 141 the pill as a contraceptive method. 116 women did not accept any contraception at all. These data show that knowledge about contraception is not widespread as it should be, and that efforts must be made by the medical and paramedical personnel. |
