Eight years of experience in the first Romanian center of family planning and contraception.

This study describes 8 years of experience (1990-97) in the first Romanian center for family planning and contraception, which started in Bucharest at the Clinic Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology 'Prof. Dr. P. Sirbu' on 27 February 1990. A total of 14,258 women had attended the clinic by 1 January 1998. Trends in the use of contraceptives and the number of births and abortions at the center are described. During the 8 years, the induced abortions decreased by 65% and the uncompleted abortions (illegal abortions) by 45%. Hormonal contraception was the most commonly used contraceptive method (61.5%), followed by intrauterine devices (28.8%) and local contraception (barrier methods: condoms, diaphragms, spermicides) (9%).