Objective: To determine the rates of repeated abortion and contraceptive use among unmarried young women seeking an abortion in China.
Methods: We used an anonymous self-administered questionnaire at abortion clinics in Beijing, Changsha, and Dalian from January to September 2000.
Results: Of 4547 unmarried young women seeking an abortion, 33.0% reported having had one previous induced abortion. Of those who had had more than one abortion, only 29.7% used a contraceptive method at their first sexual intercourse after the procedure; and of the 446 women who chose contraception, 41.3% used the traditional methods of withdrawal or rhythm. Although 65.0% of the young women had used condoms at least once, only 9.6% did so consistently and correctly; 47.7% of the current pregnancies were associated with nonuse of any contraceptive, and 52.3% were related to contraceptive failure.
Conclusion: The rate of unmarried young women seeking repeated abortions was high in China on 2000. The rate of consistent condom use was low, and the rate of contraceptive failure was higher.