Four in 10 women who had an abortion between April and July this year did not use any form of contraception because they underestimated their chances of becoming pregnant, a survey by sexual health agency Rutgers has shown.

The number of abortions in the Netherlands is rising, with 39,332 terminations in 2023, a 10% increase on the year before.

Most of the women who were asked why they did not use contraception said they did not think they could get pregnant or had not considered it.

“We know for certain these women did not mean to get pregnant,” researcher Renee Finkenflügel said. “There seems to be a lack of information and knowledge about ways to prevent pregnancy,” she told broadcaster NOS. “There is still much to gain in that area.”

Other women said they had had bad experiences using contraception, or did not want to use hormones.

Some of the women who had used some form of contraception, had put their faith in methods such as measuring their temperature using an app or calendar. Others said they had taken the morning-after pill but became pregnant anyway, or had used a faulty condom.

Abortion doctor Raïna Brethouwer said more women are using natural ways to prevent pregnancy, such as an app or calendar to monitor their cycle and fertile days and that they are shocked when they find they are pregnant.

“We are not at all against using a calendar but you have to be aware that no method is 100% secure. To exclude the possibility of a pregnancy this type of method is not enough,” she said.

Women are more wary of many of the contraceptive methods, Brethouwer said. Earlier bad experiences, other women’s experiences, and disinformation all play a role, she said.

Rutgers is trying to combat disinformation about contraceptive methods on social media by setting out the facts on their website and by going into schools. “But we can’t do this on our own. The government will have to play a role in this,” Finkenflügel said.