PART I
THE CONTRACEPTIVE CONFIDENCE
AND CONSEQUENCES SURVEY
A new international survey investigating user confidence in contraception reveals that missed pills significantly impact women’s
confidence in the Pill. Overall, women’s contraceptive confidence correlated strikingly with the contraceptive action required, thus
highlighting the difficulties that couples face in using methods – particularly daily or intercourse-related methods - correctly. Confidence was highest for the contraceptive ring and intrauterine device (IUD).
The results have emerged in an international survey of over 8500 women and men - the Contraceptive Confidence and Consequences
Survey - conducted earlier this year by TNS-NIPO. The survey also investigated the consequences of contraceptive misuse on the lives
of both women and men. The survey was commissioned by Organon, developer of the first once-a-month contraceptive ring.
MISSED PILLS
• The underlying reasons given by women for feeling relief at the start
of their period varied depending on the method:
THE RATIONALE FOR THE SURVEY
• The European Women on Contraception Survey showed that
more than two-thirds of Pill users regularly miss pills, and over one
in five users miss at least one pill every month. The survey carried
out in November 2003 by TNS NIPO questioned over 2250 women
aged 18 to 40 years from The Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy
and Spain about contraception.
• In light of these findings, the Contraceptive Confidence and
Consequences Survey was set up to examine the motivations
for use of contraception, confidence in methods used and assess
knowledge and experience of factors that impact reliability as well as
the consequences of pregnancy scares among women and men.
CONTRACEPTIVE CONFIDENCE
• Findings reveal a striking correlation between women’s confidence
in a method - in terms of whether she ever felt relief at starting her
period - and the contraceptive action required on her/her partner’s part.
• Confidence was a particular issue among women relying on withdrawal or rhythm. However, more than half of pill and condom users
ever expressed relief at starting their period.
• The methods that appeared to engender the most confidence were
the once-a-month contraceptive ring and the IUD.
• One in seven (14%) pill users
always or frequently felt relief at the start of her period.
This compares with nearly half
(48%) of women using withdrawal and one in five (19%) of
those relying on the condom.
• Confidence in the Pill also varied notably by country. Around
one in five Russian, Italian,
Swiss, and Swedish pill users were always or frequently
relieved to start their period,
whereas a much smaller percentage of Finnish, Danish and
Dutch women felt this way.
% of women who ever felt
relieved when their period
started
Withdrawal
Rhythm
Condom
Pill
Patch
Ring
Copper IUD
83
81
57
53
39
29
28
Base: Women who used this
method in the past five years
• Pill users were most likely to blame incorrect use or decreased
reliability due to circumstances for their relief. Lack of trust per se
was less likely to be mentioned indicating that the concern predominantly lies with the use of the method in their own hands.
• Rhythm and withdrawal are for the most part simply not trusted
– 67% and 55% of women respectively gave this reason for their
relief. Lack of trust was also the commonest reason for feeling
relief given by condom and patch users.
• Women using the IUD or contraceptive ring were most likely to
say it’s my natural reaction when asked why they felt relieved at
starting their period.
% of current Pill users
who EVER felt relief
when their period
started
Total
Switzerland
Austria
Sweden
Belgium
Finland
The Netherlands
Germany
Italy
France
Denmark
Hungary
Spain
Russia
Ukraine
53
65
63
61
60
58
55
54
53
53
50
45
39
37
27
% of current Pill users
who ALWAYS OR OFTEN
felt relief when their
period started
14
19
10
18
16
8
6
13
22
17
7
14
12
23
15
Base: all women who have used the Pill in the last five years
Based on an international survey of 8531 heterosexual women
and men between 16 and 40 years in 14 countries and
conducted during March/April 2005. The online survey was
conducted by TNS-NIPO [www.tns-nipo.com] on behalf of Organon
[www.organon.com].
… WHAT ABOUT MEN?
MOTIVATIONS FOR CHOOSING
A CONTRACEPTIVE METHOD
• Men also have some concerns about correct use of the Pill. Over half
(51%) of the partners of pill users say they worry their partner may
forget it. Men without children and those aged between 20 and 34
years worry the most. And, overall 54% of men remind their partner
to take the Pill.
• Spanish, French and German men were particularly likely to worry
about pill use and Danish, Swedish and Dutch men less likely to worry.
% men worrying their
partner to take
the Pill
Total
Spain
France
Germany
Italy
Switzerland
Ukraine
Austria
Belgium
Finland
Hungary
Russia
The Netherlands
Sweden
Denmark
% men who remind their
partner may forget
the Pill
51
80
60
60
58
57
56
53
52
48
48
43
41
36
36
54
75
55
62
41
66
63
59
62
51
18
47
59
51
45
• One in four women (24%) regard the choice of contraception as being mainly the individual decision of the woman compared to only
6% of men. While 88% of men and 72% of women regard it as a
mutual decision.
• Men regard themselves as more influential than their partner’s doctor, her friends and her mother. Previous research indicates that
in fact a woman’s doctor and girlfriends have greater influence
on the contraceptive-decision making process than their partner.
[Organon, data on file, 2004]
Top 3 current methods
of contraception:
Women
37 %
36%
13%
Base: All
Men
Condom
Pill
Withdrawal
Base: All
reasons
the top
friendly
making
• Reliability is rarely ever given as a reason for adopting the withdrawal method. The motivations for use are lack of side effects,
it is perceived as user friendly and the absence of hormones.
Women using the rhythm method gave similar reasons.
• Overall, 82% of men expressed satisfaction with methods that
were used by the woman with no significant differences between
methods. However, men were significantly less satisfied with the
condom and withdrawal: only 57% and 44% of men expressed
satisfaction respectively. This is consistent with their desire for
methods that do not disturb love-making (see below).
RELIABILITY
TOP OF THE CONTRACEPTIVE AGENDA
• Reliability is the most commonly cited feature of the ideal
contraceptive given by women and men. Thereafter, priorities
changed with no disturbance on love-making of greater importance to men, and no side effects for women.
CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE TODAY
• 86% of men have ever used/
relied on the male condom;
65% on the Pill (used by their
female partner) and 36% withdrawal.
• Methods such as the contraceptive implant, injection, and the
copper IUD are primarily chosen because of their convenience
– women cited reasons such as doesn’t have to be remembered
everyday and long-term contraception.
• Women using the patch did not come up with as many
for its use compared to those using other methods but
three reasons given by women were because it is user
(40%); reliable (17%) and does not interfere with love
(15%).
WHO’S IN CHARGE?
Pill
Male condom
Withdrawal
• The top three reasons for women choosing the male condom are
protection against STDs (61%), reliability (54%) and because it is
only needed during sexual intercourse (39%).
• The overwhelming reason for choosing the contraceptive ring
was because of its once-a-month action - not having to remember it every day (60%); as well as its reliability (43%) and its
user friendliness (28%). One quarter of women also mentioned
the ring’s low hormone dose, and nearly one in five that it is
administered by the woman herself.
Base: All men who have experience with the Pill in the last five years
• 82% of women have ever used/
relied on the male condom,
77% on the Pill and 39% on
withdrawal. Currently, women
were most commonly using
the Pill, the male condom and
withdrawal. In terms of newly
introduced methods, 2% of
women were using the once-amonth contraceptive ring.
• Above all, the Pill is chosen for its reliability (cited as one of the
top three reasons for starting it by 71% of women). Other influential factors include its lack of disturbance during love-making (39%) and cycle regulation (37%). Younger women are less
likely to regard the Pill as user friendly.
49 %
34%
15%
• Reliability is particularly important for younger women. Women aged 20-34 years are particularly likely to want methods that
have no side effects and cannot be forgotten.
Top five most important features of the ideal contraceptive:
Reliability
No side effects
Easy to use
Once-a-month/non-daily
No disturbance during love-making
STD protection
Base: All
* Not mentioned in top 5
Women
Men
50%
38%
31%
18%
16%
*
47%
23%
25%
*
28%
11%