Contraception in Women With IDDM: An epidemiological study

OBJECTIVE To study whether suitable contraceptive methods to women with diabetes mellitus in fact are applied. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A questionnaire survey on the use of contraceptives in all 18-to-49-yr-old women ( n = 261) with IDDM in Funen County, Denmark, and an age-comparable control group, ( n = 287) was performed. Data were collected from 1987 to 1990. Response was achieved from 94% diabetic women and 88% control subjects. RESULTS The overall use of contraception in diabetic women (77.1%) was almost identical to that of control subjects (73.6%). Compared with control subjects, significantly fewer diabetic women were using the OCP ( P < 0.005) and partner sterilization ( P < 0.05), whereas more diabetic women were sterilized ( P < 0.0005). Among diabetic contraceptive users, the IUD, female sterilization, condoms, and the OCP each accounted for roughly 20%. Diabetic women using the OCP were predominantly young, and most had never been pregnant; ∼ 20% of them used high-dose formulations. Sterilization was frequently used by older diabetic women, and most of these women had 2 or more children; 27% of the diabetic women using an IUD were nulligravidae. Further, 18% used a method with an unsuitable high failure rate. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that diabetic women are not sufficiently advised concerning use of contraception.