Time Series of Pill and IUD Use: United States, 1961-1970

Calendar data on pill and IUD use was obtained from 6000 married women (oldest were age 35 in late 1960) interviewed in late 1970 and early 1971. During the decade 1961-1970 the pill became the dominant contraceptive used by American couples. The rapid increase in use of the IUD in the months prior to the study suggests that this contraceptive may now be second in importance. The very rapid relatively consistent growth in the use of oral contraceptives ended in late 1965. A small decline in pill use (31% to less than 29%) early in 1970 was presumably associated with British morbidity reports and unfavorable publicity in the Senate hearings. More recent increases indicate the negative publicity may have resulted in a transitory effect. Calendar lags in pill use were found for blacks less-educated women and Catholics (religion of wife) in comparison with whites more-educated women and non-Catholics respectively. As yet there is no evidence of decreasing pill use with advancing length of marriage. The relationship between decline in birth rate and increase in pill use during the decade is only moderately strong. Calendar lags in adoption of use of the IUD by race education religion and marriage length are small. For women interviewed in 1971 6.8% were using the IUD in December 1970.