Table 3 Open questions about sexuality, contraception and abortion

1. With how many persons did you have sex in the last six months?

91.7%: one person; 5.8% two persons; 2.5% three persons

Contraception

2. In case you didn't always use contraception: why didn't you do anything after having unprotected sex?

- 'I didn't know what to do', (low knowledge about emergency contraception),

- 'I did not find it alarming to get pregnant' (will wait en see what to do once I get pregnant)

- 'I thought the chance to become pregnant was very small' (for example by counting)

3. Why didn't you use always contraception in the last six months?

- Feeling side effects (esp. OCP), problems with taking pills every day

- Resistance against hormones in pills and injectables, unnatural cycle

- Easier to use nothing, fear of remaining rests of pills in the uterus or abdomen causing infertility or cancer

- Costs and unplanned pregnancy not seeing as alarming

4. If you have experience with OCP, what disadvantages did you have?

- Side effects: Gain weight, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, stomach pain, depressed feelings, spotting, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath

- Other: forgetting pills, taking pills every day, not reliable, dangerous for health

5. If you have experience with condom use, what disadvantages did you have?

Possibility of rupture, less pleasure in sex

6. If you have experience with IUD, what disadvantages did you have?

Increase in menstrual fluid, pain during menstruation

7. If you have experience with injectable contraceptives, what disadvantages did you have?

Gain weight, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, stomach pain, spotting, headaches

8. Have you been unplanned pregnant? How often?

- 42% of participants: 0 unplanned pregnancies;

- 35%: 1 unplanned pregnancy;

- 14%: 2 unplanned pregnancies;

- 5%: 3 unplanned pregnancies;

- 4%: 4-7 unplanned pregnancies

9. What did you do when you were unplanned pregnant?

Abortion: 60%; nothing: 40%

Contraceptive use

10. How did you protect yourself against pregnancy in the last six months?

Nothing: 24.6%;

OCP: 29.5%;

Condom 11.3%;

Injectable contraceptive: 6.3%;

Sterilization: 5.6%;

IUD: 4.9%;

PA and/or CI: 18.2%

11. In the past did you use (other) contraceptive methods? If yes, which?

OCP: 73%;

Condom: 71%;

CI: 45%;

PA: 25%;

Injectable contraceptive: 25%;

IUD: 19%;

EMC: 9%

Abortion

12. When do you think abortion should be allowed?

- Never: 26.5%;

- On request of the woman: 26.5%;

- In exceptional cases: 47%, most mentioned were: after rape, fetal disabilities, health problems of woman, financial reasons, unwanted child.

13. At what age did you have your first abortion?

15 - 41 years; (mean age: 23 years)

14. Did you have contact with a healthcare provider after your abortion and what kind of healthcare provider?

72%: doctor;

19%: nobody,

9%: gynaecologist, psychologist, nurse