Characteristics of Women Using Different Methods of Contraception—Some Preliminary Findings from a Prospective Study

Abstract

Vessey, M. P. (Dept. of the Regius Professor of Medicine, Radclrffe Infirmary, Oxford, England), Doll, R., Peto, R., and Redman, C. W. G. Characteristics of women using different methods of contraception-some preliminary findings from a prospective study. Int. J. Epid. 1972,1: 119–123. A long-term prospective epidemiological study is in progress in which it is hoped to compare the morbidity (as measured by hospital visits) of women who use oral contraceptives with that of women who use the diaphragm or the intrauterine device as their method of birth control. Up to the end of April 1971, 8,774 women had been recruited to the study and this paper presents analyses of some of the items of information collected from these women at the time of admission. There were differences between the contraceptive groups in age, parity, age at marriage, social class, cigarette smoking and past medical history. The ways in which these differences might affect the study of morbidity are discussed.