Sexual behavior, contraception and unintended pregnancy among young females

Information about contraceptive usage and sexual experiences was sampled in 1985-86 from 16-20-year-old Danish females admitted for legally induced abortion on Funen (N = 140). In attempts to elucidate the causal relations behind undesired pregnancy among teenagers, data were in the present context compared with answers to the same questions from a representative Danish sample of sexually experienced, non-pregnant females of the same age (N = 201). Of the reference sample, 83.6% were using contraceptives at the time of the interview--mostly oral contraceptives (O.C.). Of the abortion sample, 90.7% said they had used contraception earlier in their reproductive life. Approximately one third conceived in spite of contraception (most frequently the condoms). O.C. was the contraceptive method used most recently (by 43.6%). Thus, a pause in an effective contraceptive often precedes an unintended pregnancy, pointing to the need for follow-up counselling when O.C. is prescribed to teenagers. Only the minority could state the total number of times they had experienced sexual intercourse. Significantly more females in the abortion sample were in an alliance with a male partner with whom they had regular sexual intercourse. However, they also reported a higher average number of different sexual partners, indicating an association between changing sexual relationships and undesired pregnancy. In the abortion sample significantly more pregnancies prior to the index pregnancy were reported during a corresponding period of risk of conception lasting only a few years. Taking the widespread use of contraception into account, it is possible that an increased fecundity might be a co-factor behind unsuccessful contraception.