Purpose:The EGOC(European Group of Contraception)initiated an international survey o n the use of contracep-tives.The survey was designed to assess the knowledge about contraception of women in the r eproductive age.Thisarticle presents survey findings wi th regard to the following:first use of contraceptives,first s exual intercourse,first pregnancy,as well as the extent of kn owledge of the women in regard to different methods of con traception.Material and Methods:The EGOC questionnaire was translated,revised and supplemented.The survey took place between August 2000and December 2002.1330w omen were ad-mitted in the age span of 11-49.Resul ts:More than86%of thewomen considered themselv es to be suffi -ciently or very well informed about c ontraceptives.76%of the women named their gynaecologist as the main source of information,followed by 57%,who re ceived their infor-mation from magazines,and 48%from f riends.Women were better able to evaluate the safe ty of well -known as compared lesser -known or new forms o f contraception:82%of the women considered oral cont raceptives safe,74%the IUD,whereas depot injection s were considered safe by only 63%of the women surveyed.The subjects were insecure and uninformed about t he safety of the morning -after pill.Condoms were considered very safe by65%,whereas 10%considered the IUDs and 17%the depot injection as completely unsafe.4%of the women judged coitus interruptus as a safem ethod and 5%of the-women had used it as a method of contra ception during their first sexual intercourse.Con clusion:Although the knowledge on contraceptives of the e valuated women women is generally high,there were inform ation deficits in many areas.Additional sexual education,especially regarding modern contraceptive methods,shou ld be able to fill knowledge gaps,above all in very you ng women.
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