Contraceptive choice and reproductive morbidity in Istanbul

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Istanbul to investigate the relationship between contraceptive choice and reproductive morbidity. Altogether, 918 women who had ever used any means of avoiding pregnancy were interviewed at home, and, among these, 694 parous nonpregnant women were examined by three female physicians. The women were aware of bearing a considerable burden of ill health, with 81 percent reporting at least one episode of illness in the three months prior to the interview. Current users of the intrauterine device were significantly more likely than users of other methods to report menstrual disorders, but pelvic relaxation and reproductive and urinary tract infections, whether perceived or diagnosed, were not significantly related to any of the contraceptive methods. The relatively small amount of switching between methods suggests that most users tended to stay with the same method once chosen and that health concerns played an important part only in the initial choice of the method.