BACKGROUND: There is a need to improve our understanding of contraceptive use over the long term. The aims of this study were to describe contraceptive use and pregnancies in the same women followed prospectively from 19 to 44 years of age. METHODS: In 1981, a postal questionnaire about contraception, pregnancies and reproductive health was sent to a random sample (n = 656) of 19-year-old women resident in Gothenburg, Sweden. The responders were contacted again every fifth year. RESULTS: At 19 years of age, 74% of the women had already used contraception and this increased to 98% at 44 years. Combined oral contraception was the commonest method currently used up to 29 years of age (48/51/22% at 19/24/29 years of age, respectively) and thereafter an intrauterine device (IUD: 34/39/38% at 34/39/44 years of age, respectively). Condom use alone during the 25-year study period was: 14/12/24/21/21/15% and non-use of contraception was: 35/24/26/20/21/26%. The mean number of pregnancies/children increased from 0.2/0.1 at 19 years of age to 3.1/2.1 at 44 years. Women who had been pregnant and women who had not been pregnant