A comparison of contraceptive habits and pregnancy outcome at 19 years of age in two cohorts of Swedish women born 1962 and 1972.

The prevalence of contraception and pregnancy outcome in two representative samples of 19-year-old women resident in the city of Göteborg, born in 1962 (n = 596) and 1972 (n = 641), respectively, was assessed and compared using a postal questionnaire technique. The prevalence of different contraceptive techniques was as follows (62/72): Oral contraception (OC) alone 44%/35%, (p < 0.001); OC + condom 1%/12%, p < 0.001; intrauterine device 4%/1%, p < 0.001; condom only 11%/14%; depot gestagen 0%/0.3%; no contraception 40%/38%. The median duration of OC use was 15 and 14 months, respectively. Fear of OCs was the commonest reason given for cessation of OC in the 62 cohort and that contraception was no longer required in the 72 cohort. The proportion of women who gave the latter explanation for cessation of OC had increased (p < 0.001) from 10% in 1981 to 57% in 1991, indicating that young women in Sweden now tend not to continue with OCs when a relationship ends. Although the prevalence of cigarette smoking was reduced (p < 0.05 in the 72 cohort compared to the 62 cohort), there was still an over-representation of smokers in both cohorts among contraceptive users (p < 0.001) and in women who had been pregnant (p < 0.001) or undergone an abortion (p < 0.001). Pregnancies were reported by 11% of the women from the 62 cohort and by 13% from the 72 cohort. A greater proportion (p < 0.001) of pregnancies terminated in legal abortion in the 72 cohort (61%) compared to the 62 cohort (50%). The medical complication rate following legal abortion was lower (p < 0.05) in the 72 cohort compared to the 62 cohort.