Abstract

PIP: 4810 U.S. married women under 45 years were questioned extensively in 1965 on contraception. Information on duration of use and particularly on details of stopping oral contraception are included in this report. About one-third (285) of these women who had ever used the pill had discontinued. The 216 dropouts who used pills for contraception only provided data for this report. 65% (140) quit because of side effects, usually pregnancy-like symptoms (such as nausea or weight gain), or menstrual symptoms (such as hemorrhaging or cramps). 15% (32) stopped for other difficulties related to taking pills such as fear of forgetting pills or religious worries. 20% (43) stopped for reasons unrelated to the pill such as desire to conceive or no need for contraception. Dropout rates were higher (50%) after 2 years for those who used the pill in 1960-1962, than for those who used it later, reflecting lower dosage pills and increased physicians' experience in later years. Most stopped in the first 3 months and usually because of side effects; dropouts for other reasons were constant. Women who were older, less educated, had more children, or who were non-white tended to drop the pill sooner. After quitting oral contraception 12% used new methods (IUD or foam), 30% used no method, 8% used multiple methods, and 41% (89) used the method they had used before trying pills.