One hundred and twenty (120) women, taking contraceptive pills, underwent a structured interview with a view elucidating their knowledge of the physiology of menstruation, the action and side effects of contraceptive pills and their compliance in the taking of contraceptive pills. The most important sources of information were the medical letters in magazines and the women's own doctors, while the teaching in the Folkeskole (primary and lower secondary school) had not had any major influence on the level of information. Well over one third of the interviewed women knew the most important action mechanism of the contraceptive pill, and half of the women could give a satisfactory explanation of the physiology of menstruation. Twenty-four percent (24%) thought that pregnancy could not occur until 1-2 months after the woman had ceased taking the pill. There was high compliance among the women i.e. that their behavior was correct when they had forgotten to take one or two contraceptive pills, when bleeding was irregular, and when beginning on a new package of pills. Eighty-three percent (83%) had experienced side effects that could be related to contraceptive pills. The investigation shows that there is a need for more efficient information about the effects of the Pill and about the physiology of menstruation.
PIP: 120 women using oral contraceptives (OC) participated in a structured interview with a view to establish their knowledge of the physiology of menstruation, the action and side effects of contraceptive pills, and their compliance in taking OCs. The most important sources of information were the medical columns in magazines and the women's own doctors, while only a small number received their information from the instruction in the Folkeskole (primary and lower secondary school). 39% of the interviewed women knew the most important action mechanism of the contraceptive pill, i.e., the suppression of release of eggs. 43% of the women could give a satisfactory explanation of the hormonal physiology of menstruation. 24% thought that pregnancy could not occur until 1-2 months after the woman had ceased taking the pill, and 64% stated that one can get pregnant right after halting OC use. There was a significant negative correlation between social status and the scoring of information (r = 0.24, p 0.01) and a significant positive correlation between age and information scoring (r = 0.38, p 0.001). Information level was higher among women in steady relationships than among women without steady partners (r = 0.27, p 0.01), and it increased with the number of pregnancies (r = 0, 18, p 0.05). There was a positive significant correlation between the duration of pill taking and the information score (r = 0.31, p 0.001). The median score was 18.0. There was high compliance among the women, i.e., their behavior was correct when they had forgotten to take one or two contraceptive pills, when bleeding was irregular, and when starting on a new package of pills. 48% had forgotten to take their pills at some time. 83% had experienced side effects that could be related to contraceptive pills. 30% had minor menstrual pain, and in 22% the amount of bleeding diminished. The investigation shows that there is a need for efficient information about the effects of the pill and about the physiology of menstruation.