[Attitude of the physician forwards anticonception]. / Actitud del médico ante la anticoncepción

PIP: A survey was conducted in Mexico City among 316 physicians working with the Mexican Institute of Social Security to investigate their attitudes toward fertility control. Most physicians were married with an average family size of 2.1, and with an average length of marriage of 8.4 years. 20% were pediatricians, 15% surgeons, 12% obstetricians; over 25% were nonpracticing catholics, 15% were practicing catholics, and almost 20% professed no religion. Over 80% of doctors had utilized or were utilizing a contraceptive method; 32% the pill, 15% the IUD, and 13% the rhythm method; previous use for the same methods was 38.2%, 3.2% and 18.5%, respectively. The temporal method most recommended was oral contraception, 42.4%, and the IUD, 36.9%; permanent methods recommended were male sterilization, 51.2%, and female sterilization, 25.3%. Married physicians were using or had used contraception more than unmarried physicians. 20.7% of practicing catholics were not using contraception as compared to 31% who were using the pill, and 24.2% who were using the rhythm method. Practicing catholic physicians were the ones that least recommended temporal or permanent contraception, with 9.1% and 15.4%, respectively. There were no significant differences either in use or in recommendation of contraception among the different medical specialties. All doctors were in favor of sexual sterilization for reasons of mental or physical health or for genetic reasons. Over 93% found contraception to be beneficial to the Mexican people for economic, social, and cultural reasons. The sample of doctors investigated cannot be considered as representative of the medical population of the nation.^ieng