Consultations concerning contraception and induced abortions among university students - trends in Finland 1986-2003

The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) provides primary health care services to university students in Finland. The material for this study was drawn from the statistics of the FSHS. From 1986 to 2003, the number of students increased by 50%, while physician consultations did not, indeed to the contrary. The numbers of family planning consultations fell from 358 to 217 per 1000 female students. The induced abortion rates among university students are very low compared with the population in general and decreased from 4 to 3 per 1000 female students. Students are responsible, and because they want to postpone pregnancy after studies, they use contraceptives effectively. The FSHS has succeeded in guaranteeing contraception services and in preventing unwanted pregnancies and minimizing the need for induced abortions among university students while at the same time decreasing physician consultations. This was possible by changing the distribution of tasks among physicians and nurses, and by adding telephone contacts instead of face-to-face consultations with physicians.