[The role of the male partner in contraception and the decision for abortion. A questionnaire study among women applying for abortion and their male partners].

Over a period of 12 months, 96 women who sought legal abortion and 52 of their male partners answered a questionnaire about contraception and abortion. Almost none of them had wanted a pregnancy from the start. Nevertheless two thirds had not used any contraceptives, mainly because they thought the chance of pregnancy was very small. Many stated that they had intended to use a condom, yet they did not do so. The majority of the women told their male partner about the pregnancy as soon as they knew of it themselves. A quarter of the women and about half of the men stated that both partners agreed that she should choose abortion. Two fifths of the women and about half of the men said that the woman's decision weighed most heavily. Many of the women said that the attitude of the partner to the pregnancy was important for their choice. Half of the women, however said that they would have chosen an abortion independent of the attitude of their partner.