Contraceptive Practice and Attitudes in Chungju Korea

Lee, Hae Nam; Byeon, Yong Jin

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We researched contraceptive practice and attitudes in Chungju, Korea by questionnaires.
METHODS
We gave questionnaires to 316 reproductive women who visited Local Corporation Chungju Medical Center and public health center in Chungju city from August 2002 to December 2002. Items of the survey contained general characteristics, methods, level of satisfaction and side effects of contraception, contraceptive failure methods when failed.
RESULTS
We studied questionnaires of 305 cases excluding questionnaires of 11 cases which were either incomplete or uncertain. Of the 298 cases who were not trying to get pregnant, 268 (89.9%) used contraceptive methods. The most common method was tubal ligation (23.2%), followed by condoms (21.8%), Intrauterine devices (17.1%), vasectomy (15.4%), periodic abstinence (8.1%), coitus interruptus (2.3%) and oral contraceptives (1.7%). In the 30-34 age group, the practice rate of contraceptive methods was the highest. Satisfactory rate of contraceptive methods was 76.9%. Intrauterine devices had the most frequent side effects. Of 305 cases, who practiced contraception, 70 (22.9%) cases failed and got pregnant and they commonly used periodic abstinence.
CONCLUSION
In comparison with the past, practice rate of contraceptive methods increased. Because of the low efficiency of contraception, despite of high practice rate of them, women who had failed the contraception were considerable and the rate of artificial abortion was high. In order to overcome this phenomenon, it is necessary to induce efficient and correct practice of contraceptive methods through further definite and continuous education including oral contraceptives.