[Contraception: gypsy versus non-gypsy women]

To find the contraceptive methods used or known by women of fertile age, and find differences between gypsy and non-gypsy women.

Descriptive study.

Primary care centre in El Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona).

Women of fertile age, who were sexually active and did not wish to become pregnant, and who attended the centre for any reason.

From March to August 1997, a survey was conducted in which personal data, number of sexual contacts, parity, use and knowledge of contraceptive methods, if and where their method is monitored, and satisfaction with their method were asked.

186 non-gypsy and 126 gypsy women answered the survey. The gypsy women knew less about barrier contraception (diaphragm p < 0.0001); IUD p = 0.0003; spermicides p = 0.001), periodic abstention (p = 0.002) and definitive methods (vasectomy p < 0.0001; tubal occlusion p = 0.0004). The commonest method used by the gypsy women was coitus interruptus (p = 0.0002). Gypsy women asked for less contraceptive advice and had less monitoring of their method (p = 0.001). They had more pregnancies which led to a greater number of live children (p < 0.0001) and induced abortions (p = 0.01). They lived more often with their sexual partner (p = 0.0005).

Gypsy women know about safe methods but do not use them. They ask less for contraceptive advice and have more induced abortions. There should be family planning programmes aimed at this group, whose cultural and family features are distinct.