Métodos anticonceptivos: prevalencia de uso según método en el Hospital "Materno Infantil del Este", Petare

objective: to determine the frequency of use of the different available contraceptive methods available today, during the period january 2002 - december 2006. methods: retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study, in which 5 140 records of users were revised in search of data on the use contraceptive methods. setting: family planning service of the hospital "materno infantil del este." caracas. results: 39.12 % use oral hormonal contraception (ohc); 20.89 % surgical sterilization (se), 20.56 % intra-uterine devices (iud); and 16.83 % parenteral hormonal contraception (phc). the rest was represented by 1.19 % barrier methods (masculine condom), 1.03 % subdermic and 0.37 % transdermic. among the ohc 66.92 % used mono-phasic pills, 23.13 % minipild and 9.95 % three-phasic. about intra-uterine devices 90.95% was medicated ones (copper) and 9.95 % inert. finally about phc 95.95% was combined and the 4.05 single acetate of medroxiprogesterona. conclusions: the first preferred options by clients were the ohc followed by the se and the diu. the phc was in the fourth place. the rest options represent less than 3 %. it is important to highlight that the client？s free and informed participation in the election of the contraceptive method is a fundamental point in the effectiveness and in the decrease of the abandonment.