[Contraception in young subjects]. / Anticonceptie bij jongeren.

ABSTRACT

PIP In the last 2 decades have investigated the quality and determinants of contraceptive use among young people. The findings signified that a certain level of knowledge about fertility and contraception and a positive attitude regarding contraception are the preconditions of effective contraceptive use. Ambivalent and negative feelings of young people about their own sexuality affected the quality of contraceptive use negatively. Contraceptive use improved as young people became more experienced in sex with more sexual contact, the nature of their relationship was fundamental for contraceptive use, and peer groups influenced contraceptive behavior more decisively than parents. In the Netherlands sociodemographic variables, life experience, education level, religion, urbanization, and social class did not affect significantly their contraceptive use. Surveys conducted in 1990 and 1991 involving 337 young people aged 13-19 indicated that 20.7% of them used the pill at 1st coitus, 41.3% used the condom, 9.1% used both, 5.8% relied on coitus interruptus, and 16.5% used nothing. During the most recent coitus 47.7% used the pill, 29.4% used the condom, 8.3% used both, 2.8% used coitus interruptus, and 7.3% used nothing. The risk of getting AIDS has not induced young people to restrain their sexual activity. In a 1990 study 60% of young people thought of the possibility of getting infected with AIDS, and 87% had such a fear. 20% of adolescents ages 16-19 used condoms during the last coitus in 1981 compared with 55% in 1989. Annually 5500 girls ages 15-19 become pregnant (most unplanned) in the Netherlands 9.2/1000 women in 1987. 43% of these were aborted according to 1989 data. In a 1986 comparative study the Netherlands featured with 14 pregnancies/1000 girls ages 15-19 (1980/81 figures) decreasing to 9/1000 since then; Sweden had 35/1000; France had 43/1000; England and Wales 45/1000; and the US had 96/1000.^ieng