[Current status of reproduction control in France]

Fertility declined rapidly in France between 1965 and 1976, mainly because of a decrease in the number of births of parity 3 or more. This change was due to both a decline in the desire for children and to a large reduction in the number of unwanted births. The INED national survey of 1988 showed a rapid spread of medical contraceptive techniques (pill and IUD) since 1965. In the same survey, a significant proportion of women reported difficulties in conceiving: these difficulties resulted in a much longer time-interval before conception; in addition women tended to become more and more impatient in this regard.