[Contraceptive compliance - why is contraceptive failure still so frequent?]

Contraceptive compliance is defined as the correct use (according to the method specific prescriptions given by a medical professional and/or in written form as patient information leaflet) of a contraceptive method. Non-compliance describes a mismatch between the real behaviour of a user and the correct or ideal behaviour. There are various indicators that in general contraceptive compliance is far from ideal. Many studies report a rate of unintended pregnancies of 50%, half of them terminating in abortion. The abortion rate remains high even in countries with availability of advanced contraceptive technology. Especially with hormonal contraception and barrier methods the gap between correct and real use is large. Discontinuation rates per year reach up to 50%. Reasons for Non Compliance are (a) Lack of motivation to prevent a pregnancy due to ambivalence regarding the wish for a child as well as sexual and relationship issues (b) Cognitive factors (False information, misconceptions, irrational fears) (c) Difficult or lacking access to contraceptive methods (d) Behavioral errors and mistakes (Forgetting, loosing etc.) and (e) Side effects of the methods used. Three strategies to improve compliance can be distinguished: (a) Improving counselling; (b) Developing contraceptive methods which demand a low level of compliant behaviour by the user; (c) Improving quality of life of users by minimizing the negative side effects and maximizing the non contraceptive health benefits.