title: Contraceptive practice in New Zealand.
abstract: A survey of contraceptive practice in New Zealand was carried out using a population-based sample of women, aged 25 to 54, selected as control subjects in a national case-control study. The results showed that sterilisation has become the most common means of family limitation. Overall, 45% of women aged 25 to 54 were in a union where one or the other partner had been sterilised. Vasectomy was the most common method of contraceptive sterilisation. The frequency of hysterectomy contributed to the high rates of sterilisation; 12% of women had had a hysterectomy. Over 80% of New Zealand women had used an oral contraceptive at some time, but only 11% were using the pill at the time of the survey. Comparison with earlier studies of contraceptive use in New Zealand show there has been a marked increase in the prevalence of contraceptive sterilisation, and a marked decrease in the use of oral contraceptives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Skegg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smeijers
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Spears
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012923:Social Class; D013245:Sterilization, Reproductive / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral