Impact of a women's counselling programme on combined hormonal contraception in Portugal--the IMAGINE Study.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this health education project was to measure the impact of counselling about combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) methods on the subsequent choice of method by Portuguese women.

METHOD

This was a multi-centre study with a representative population, at the national and regional levels, of 2951 Portuguese women≥16 years of age visiting the gynaecologist. Counselling on available CHC methods was provided using a single leaflet, and their CHC choice was assessed before and after counselling.

RESULTS

A combined oral contraceptive (COC) was the method preferred by the majority of the women prior to counselling. After counselling, 35% of women who initially had chosen the pill, switched to either the vaginal ring or the transdermal patch, and the difference was statistically significant. Ease of use was the major reason for choosing the COC, while a lower probability of omission was the reason for choosing the vaginal ring and the patch.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of a counselling programme significantly affected contraceptive choices leading in a number of cases to the selection of alternatives better suited to women's lifestyle. Age and educational level are socio-demographic factors which play an important role.