The existence of asymptomatic gonorrhea, the difficulties of clinical diagnosis, and the risk of uteroadnexial gonococcal infection following abortion prompted a campaign to diagnose N. gonorrhoeae among women seeking abortions at the Center for Pregnancy Interruption in Tours. 1446 women aged 14-46 years were examined between October 1981 and December 1982. Women having positive cultures received antibiotic treatment for a week and the abortion was not performed until a negative culture was obtained. 15 women, or 1%, had positive cultures. 1 of the 15 positive cases, but only 45.8% of patients overall, were 26 years old or younger. 10 of the 15 cases but only 37% of all clients were nulliparous. 12 of the 15 cases but only 38.6% of patients overall were single, divorced, or separated. 1 of the 15 cases belonged to a "non-active" social category of unemployed, students, and women without professions, compared to 45.5% of all clients. 13 of the cases had no clinical signs of genital infection but 3 of their partners had urethritis. 2 cases had purulent leukorrhea. Leukorrhea was suspected in 8.6% of the women with negative cultures. This practice should be adopted in all abortion centers because of its simplicity and low cost.