Patterns of contraceptive failures: the role of motivation re-examined

Abstract

SummaryThe vicissitudes of contraceptive efforts were studied by means of personal interviews in a sample of 100 women using the outpatient facilities of a metropolitan municipal hospital.The women were consecutive abortion repeaters, free of any mental or emotional impairment, who made genuine efforts to practise birth control. The circumstances of their failure to prevent recurrent unwanted pregnancies were analysed, and led to these conclusions.1. The average number of birth control methods used by the subjects was 1.9, which figure does not include a resumption of a method once replaced.2. The role of motivation is but one, and not necessarily the most essential, element in successful contraceptive practice.3. The interplay between contraceptive technology and various elements of human behaviour puts a limit on the effectiveness of any current contraceptive method; it products a significant and irreducible number of contraceptive failures that are relatively independent of any subjective motivation.4. As a result of such interplay, many women would temporarily suspend contraceptive practice; the subsequent activation of psychological mechanisms then makes them ignore the risk of preganancy.