Symposium on hormone contraception held in Moscow in 1970 recommended ESLISTON (MEGESTRANOL), OVULEN, ANOVALAR and others. Information on hormone contraceptives was issued in 1974 and 1981. The information comprised materials on side effects spectrum, mechanism of hormone contraception, recommendations on prophylactics examination regularity. Hormone contraception was highlighted in books, manuals, recommendations published later. Noteworthy, there was neither large-scale campaign on oral contraception, nor any sort of prohibition.

The Soviet pharmacological industry did not manufacture oral contraceptives. The Soviet Union used to buy them abroad, mainly BICECURIN, REGIVIDON and others, manufactured by G.RICHTER (Hungary). As many other medicines they were in demand, to be precise, deficient in the former Soviet Union.

Oral contraceptives were also used to treat many gynecological diseases such as disfunctional uterine bleeding, premenstruation syndrome, endometrios, hormone infertility, dismenorea, amenorea etc. They were used to cure dermatological hematological and oncological diseases as well.

Hormone contraceptives were prescribed mainly by obstetricians gynecologists. Many of them demonstrated low professional competence on hormone contraception. Side effects characteristic of the first generation of hormone contraceptives triggered negative attitude to them among obstetricians gynecologists which lingers up to now. The word "hormone' shaped negative attitude among women. There was a wide spread opinion that hormones lead to male-type hair growth, pathological extra weight, breast cancer, various irreversible processes.

Hormone contraceptives were packed by phartmacological companies as three-month-blisters and one-month-blister. Every package had a Russian-language instruction. They were not expensive. Posters, booklets, information letters which made it possible for a woman to familiarize with oral contraceptives were rare. Practically, there was no access to truthful information on hormone contraception.

In the first years of Ulkraine's independence the situation did not change much. In 1995 in Ukraine The National Program on Family Planning for 1995-2000 was approved. First priority is given to family planning and reproductive choice responsibility. Hormone contraceptives usage is one of the keystones of the program. But oral contraceptives usage still remains low. According to the data of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health Care, in 1996 only 5,6% of reproductive age women used oral contraceptives. During the last two years the scope of hormone contraceptives has considerably increased. Now hormone contraceptives market comprises ‘SCHERING;' ‘IENAPHARM' (GERMANY), ‘ORGANON' (HOLLAND), ‘G.RICHTER'(HUNGRY).

Opinion-polls, I conducted in April-May 1998 in Kiev-based gynecological consultation centers and polyclinics, reveal that present-day information level and printed materials range on oral contraception leave to be desired. After consultation with the doctor, a woman buys a medicine (packed as three-month-blisters and one-month-blister with a Russian-language instruction). Days of week and possible side effects are fixed on the packaging.

Pharmacological companies which operate on the Ukrainian market, widely advertise their produce. But still there is no comprehensive information on side effects of hormone contraceptives, their individual selection, instructions in case a woman forgot to take a pill. What to do if a woman has to take some other medicines as well? Sometimes the answer is difficult to find.

Doctors' professional literacy on hormone contraception remains low. High breast cancer rate in Ukraine, some negative publications cause fear and distrust.

Family Planning Service has just begun its activity in Ukraine. Professionally, doctors who started working in this field, demonstrated significant progress, but out-dated views and prescriptions hinder oral contraceptives usage.

'SCHERING' Scientific-Methodological Center of Woman's Health has been operating in Kiev since 1996. It provides training via seminars Family Planning, Hormone contraceptives and obstetricians gynecologists which highlight the latest hormone contraception approaches. There is corresponding literature, printed materials in consultation centers in Kiev.

I believe with all this we can just handle the problem but we can hardly sort it out.