[Contraception in Austria]

952 sexual active women between 15 and 44 years were investigated for their contraceptive behaviour. In 42% the pill was the first choice followed by the condom in 16%. 18% of all sexual active women in this age group did not use any contraceptives. Therefore the rate of unplanned pregnancies was very high: 34% reported about such unplanned pregnancies in their history. The main sources for informations in contraception are the gynecologist and the partner, but not the parents or the newspapers. Nearly half of all women did not know how the pill really works and quite a lot has still the opinion that there are really harmful side effects of oral contraceptives.