Use of combined oral contraceptives: retrospective study in Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran

We carried out a retrospective cross-sectional study on 500 women in Isfahan who started taking combined oral contraceptives (COCs) during the period 21 March 1995–20 March 1997. The cumulative continuation rate fell from 77% to 12% over 60 months. The most common reason for discontinuation was side-effects. There was a significant correlation between side-effects and cumulative COC continuation rate (P 0.05). The lowest rate was seen in women reporting nausea or vomiting. Women who are interested in COCs should receive extensive counselling about the possible side-effects and should be helped to find a method of birth control suited to their temperament and physiology