[Sexual life, future of the couple, and contraception after voluntary pregnancy termination. Prospective study in Geneva (Switzerland) with 103 women].

Objective: Study the impact of termination of pregnancy on women sexuality, contraceptive behaviour and couple relationship.
Design: Prospective qualitative and quantitative study.
Subjects: 103 women requiring induced abortion by vacuum aspiration who were interviewed one to three weeks before the operation and again six months later. The interview was performed by a questionnaire including open and closed questions and psychological tests (Locke-Wallace and Horowitz' IES).
Results: A majority of women (n = 101) had already used contraception. During the cycle that had resulted in pregnancy, more than a half (n = 58) had actually used contraception and 1/3 had not use any contraception at all. Six months later, the majority (n = 86) used contraception, while only 16 did not. Condom was only rarely used (n = 11). After termination of pregnancy, 14 couples of 84 separated. The majority of women (n = 72) did not report changes in their sexual behaviour. On the other hand, 1/5 of women presented a decrease in sexual desire and orgasm troubles. About 1/3 described psychosomatic symptoms, but a majority (n = 92) was not traumatised.
Conclusions: The great majority of women seems to tolerate well the termination of pregnancy. A minority presents sexual dysfunction, psychosomatic symptoms, which persist six months after intervention. As per contraception, the majority of women does protect herself from pregnancy but a percentage still does not protect itself at all or only in a noneffective or less effective way. After termination of pregnancy, the issue of protection from AIDS and sexuality-transmitted diseases seems to be less important.