The oral contraceptive pill: use, user satisfaction, side effects and fears among Manawatu women

Abstract

The 1978 Manawatu Family Growth Study included questions on the oral contraceptive pill to gauge aspects of its use, user satisfaction and the experience of side effects and fears. Of the 1390 women aged 16-44 interviewed, 1085 (78 percent) had ever used the pill--411 and 674 were current and previous users, respectively. Among the current users 45.2 percent stated they sometimes forgot to take the pill and 50 percent reported they were not entirely happy about using the pill. For dissatisfied current users and all previous users it was found that: (a) various side effects were experienced by substantial percentages in each group, the most common being weight gain or swelling; and (b) a fear of permanent damage to health was acknowledged by more than half of each group. Concern caused by publicity on side effects was reported by 46.9 percent of those who had ever used the pill. These and other results, and their implications, indicate a need for instruction, guidance and counselling for oral contraceptive users.

PIP: The study is based on data from the 1978 Manawatu Family Growth Study concerning use, user satisfaction, and experience of side effects and fears among oral contraceptive (OC) users. 1085 (78%) of the 1390 women aged 16-44 interviewed had ever used OCs, 411 were current users. The proportion ever using OCs varied by age from 48.3% of women 16-19 to around 90% for those 25-34, 75.9% of current and 43.3% of former users were aged 16-29. 21.5% of previous users discontinued to become pregnant, and 65.6% switched to another method. 45.2% of current users admitted to sometimes forgetting to take the pill. 50% reported they were not entirely happy with the pill, with dissatisfaction lowest among current users aged 16-19 and 35-39 and greatest among those 25-34. Substantial proportions of dissatisfied current users and of previous users reported various side effects, among which swelling or weight gain, dizziness, headache, or feeling weak were among the most common; nausea, bleeding, and changes in skin or hair were reported also by many. Fears of permanent damage to their health were reported by over 1/2 of dissatisfied current users and of previous users, and 46.9% of ever users reported that publicity about possible side effects had caused them concern. Subgroup variation was found in use and experience, as illustrated by greater incidence among Maori women of both forgetting and satisfaction among current users. Study findings suggest a need for instruction, guidance, and counseling for OC users.