[Negative reports on oral contraceptives--increased number of interrupted pregnancies]

The reports on a higher risk of venous thromboembolism associated with third generation oral contraceptives (OCs) received a great deal of media attention in Norway. The Norwegian Medicines Control Authority recommended restricting the use of third generation OCs. The sale of the only third generation OC in Norway decreased by 73%. The total sales of OCs also decreased by 10%, however, despite a recommendation to change drug rather than stop using OC. During the first six months of 1996, the number of legal abortions in 11 hospitals covering 60% of all legal abortions in Norway increased by 297, or 7%, compared with the same period in 1995. A continuous downward trend in the number of legal abortions during the period 1990-95 has been broken, and replaced by an increase, which could represent a greater risk to women's health than a few cases of venous thromboembolism.