Contraception and abortion attitudes and practices of Western Ukraine women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the attitudes and practices of contraceptive behaviors of Western Ukraine women.


METHODS
A survey of 500 women in the Oblast was conducted to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices on a variety of health topics. Convenience sampling was used to access the subjects in 16 different towns/villages in nine rayons throughout the Oblast. Respondents were asked more than 100 questions pertaining to their knowledge, attitudes and practices on a variety of health topics, including stress, contraception, breast health, sexually transmitted diseases, parity, abortion, nutrition, alcohol and tobacco use, domestic violence, and depression and mental health.


RESULTS
Of married women, 44% (112/256) would terminate their pregnancy while 56% (144/256) said they would keep their baby. Of unmarried women, 35% (31/88) would abort while 65% (57/88) would keep their baby. A large proportion of married women (82%; 222/271) and unmarried women (70%; 52/74) did not use condoms at all.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest lack of birth control education and contribution to poor protection from sexually transmitted infections. Higher abortion practices may also play a role in the infertility issues that Ukrainian women currently face.
Muscato
L
L
AIHA Corvallis-Uzhgorod Partnership, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
Kidd
R S
RS
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014455:Ukraine / Q000453:epidemiology