A 3-page questionnaire was sent to all practicing physicians (132) in a largely urban county in the Southeastern United States (population 200000) testing attitudes concerning contraception sterilization and sex education. Those responding were concentrated (74%) in 5 areas of medicine were older than average and generally favored the IUD as a contraceptive device for public patients and the oral pill for private patients. They generally accepted contraception for unmarried women strongly supported (89%) school sex education programs and favored voluntary measures to reduce excess fertility. Unexpected findings included the extent of physicians support of the public family planning clinic the proportion (37%) referring patients to the clinic and the 80% response rate to the mailed questionnaire. More information on physicians attitudes is needed if programs serving the medically indigent are to be effective.