title: [Contraception's choice: women's opinion, satisfaction and profile. Results of a French national survey of a representative sample of 5963 women].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe French women's use of contraceptive methods and study their satisfaction and expectations about contraception.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey carried out by mail questionnaire filled in by a representative sample group of French women aged 15 to 45 years (Panel Postal Metascope TNS Sofres) in June 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 10,000 questionnaires sent out, 6044 questionnaires were returned, of which 5963 were usable. Seventy-three percent of women surveyed used some method of contraception, of which 46% was an oral contraceptive, 15% an IUD and 7% used condoms. A minority used new contraceptive methods (implant, patch, vaginal ring). The average age at first sexual relationship was 17.8 years. It was 18.5 among 40-45-year-olds and gradually reduced to 16.7 in the under 25-year-olds. Twenty-three percent of pregnancies remain unwanted and unplanned. For 96% of patients, the choice of contraception was considered to be important. Thirty-six percent thought that contraception could be harmful to health. Only 63% of women believed themselves to be well informed the first time they used contraception. Satisfaction for contraception method was evaluated from 7.3/10 (condom) to 9.7/10 (sterilization).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Twenty-seven percent of women do not use any contraception and 23% of pregnancies are unwanted despite a large offering of contraceptives. Our study enables the drawing of 'patient-profiles' for the main methods of contraception in order to better determine women's expectations and to pass the findings on to health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de Versailles, 177, rue de Versailles, 78150 Le Chesnay, France. Electronic address: jost.stephanie@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de Versailles, 177, rue de Versailles, 78150 Le Chesnay, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Le Tohic
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de Bichat-Claude-Bernard, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75018 Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chis
authors.affiliation: Service génétique, département de biologie des tumeurs, institut Curie, 26, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: This
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de Versailles, 177, rue de Versailles, 78150 Le Chesnay, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grosdemouge
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de Versailles, 177, rue de Versailles, 78150 Le Chesnay, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D017280:Condoms; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods*; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D013245:Sterilization, Reproductive; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral
keywords: Contraception; Information; Satisfaction