Lifetime Practice and Intention to Use Contraception After Induced Abortion Among Serbian Women in Belgrade

Background and Objectives: The issue of high rates of abortion among Serbian women has been previously highlighted, yet its social underpinnings are still not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifetime use of and intention to use contraception among women after having an abortion. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from 2022 to 2024 at the Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Clinical Center of Serbia. The study participants were women who underwent induced abortions at the clinic. They filled in an anonymous questionnaire examining their demographic data, life-style and habits, medical history, lifetime use of contraception and intention to use contraception after their abortion. Results: A total of 433 women aged 16 to 49 years (mean age 32.0 years) participated in the study. In our sample, 81.1% of women had ever used contraception, with condoms being the most common, while 18.9% never used any contraception. Around 70% of women expressed the intention to use contraception post-abortion. Women who were of Serbian ethnicity, who had a higher level of education, who had no chronic illnesses and who already had multiple children were more likely to ever use contraception. Being of Serbian ethnicity, having higher education level and chronic illnesses and not smoking were associated with the intention to use contraception post-abortion. Conclusions: Most women who had abortions used contraception at least occasionally during their reproductive life and had the intention to start using it again. Therefore, women need to be continuously reminded by their gynecologists of contraception possibilities.