A total of 161 patients completed a questionnaire about their pattern of taking the oral contraceptive pill. Only 28% (45) of patients were taking the pill according to the manufacturer's instructions, and in the event of the pill being missed only 26% of patients would use a sheath. A tenth of the patients believed that amenorrhoea always indicated pregnancy, but 35% believed that amenorrhoea was harmful to the body. This group did not differ in their pill taking from the remaining 65% of patients.