Abstract

PIP: Some items of information collected on admission from each of 8774 women attending clinics of the British Family Planning Association up to the end of April 1971 are reported. Patients selected were willing to participate, were married, aged 25-39 years, were white British subjects, and had completed at least 5 months use of some form of contraception. Each filled out an admission questionnaire and patient and medical histories were completed. Results showed that women using oral contraceptives were younger than those using the diaphragm. IUD users were of intermediate age. Users of oral contraceptives were more frequently nulliparous. Almost all with an IUD had married early and borne 1 or more children. Most of the women interviewed were in the upper social classes, especially those using the diaphragm. Smoking was more frequent among users of oral contraceptives. Thrombophlebitis affe cted 1% of the oral contraceptive users, 5% of the diaphragm users, and 11% of the IUD users. These variations may have been due to the fact that those with a past history of thrombophlebitis would most likely have been prescribed either an IUD or a diaphragm. Although the relationship between oral contraceptives and venous thrombosis and pulmo nary embolism is now established, prospective studies are still required to provice better quantification of the risk. Analysts will need to take into consideration the strong selective factors now operating which tend to place women at highest risk from contraceptive complications in other categories of contraception use. Vaginitis and cervicitis were common in all groups but more so in those using oral contraceptives. This variation may have been due to the closer supervision of these patients.