[Contraception: article for education and training]

Successful contraception is essential and the stable number of abortions illustrate the success of contraception policies in The Netherlands. This article considers relevant issues based on the latest NHG Contraception Standard. The patient takes centre stage in the selection of contraceptive and tailor made care is imperative. There are a number of alternative contraceptives each with their own functionality and merits. An important distinction is the use of hormones; the latter in view of the growing awareness of women of the alleged pros or cons of hormones. Important criteria for the choice of contraceptive methods are stage of life, reliability, ease of use, influence on the menstruation cycle, and foremost the personal preference of the woman in question. There are both absolute and relative contra-indications for a number of contraception methods as tabulated in the article.