One Third Pregnant with Perfect Contraceptive Use

Two thirds using contraception

The New Zealand Medical Journal reported that almost two thirds (217 of 355, or 61%) of the women at an Auckland abortion clinic who (a) agreed to be surveyed, and (b) proceeded with an abortion, had been using a method of contraception in the month they became pregnant.¹

The Pill

One quarter (91 of 355, or 26%) had been using the contraceptive pill. Of these women:

• two thirds (60 of 91, or 66%) were pregnant despite taking their pill each day;
  
• half (43 of 91, or 47%) were pregnant because diarrhoea, vomiting or drug interactions had caused pill failure;
  
• one fifth (17 of 91, or 19%), were pregnant for no apparent reason, and true method failure was assumed (ie, no human error was involved).

Condoms

The same survey revealed that almost one third (104 of 355, or 29%) had been using condoms in the month they became pregnant. Of these women:

• 80% (83 of 104) had experienced condom slippage, breakage or leakage;
  
• almost one third (30 of 104, or 29%) were pregnant for no apparent reason, and true method failure was assumed.

Overall

Overall, almost one third (65 of 217, or 30%) of all the contraceptive-using women surveyed had become pregnant following perfect contraceptive use.

One fifth (65 of 355, or 18%) of all the women surveyed had become pregnant following perfect contraceptive use.

ENDNOTES:

1 Young LK, et al, "The contraceptive practices of women seeking termination of pregnancy in an Auckland clinic [Epsom Day Unit, Greenlane Hospital]," New Zealand Medical Journal, 1994; 107:189-91.

 

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