“A lot of women and men make New Year’s resolutions to give up smoking, lose weight or get fit – why not add getting informed and making a choice about contraception to that list,” said Jill Michelson, National Clinical Adviser for Marie Stopes International.
“Being in control of your fertility empowers you to choose the timing, spacing and size of your family.
“And it’s an important decision to make to ensure you avoid any unplanned surprises in 2010.”
The organisation’s calls came following research which found that 36% of women who were not using contraception at the time of their unplanned pregnancy had not been planning or expecting to have sex.
The research - Real Choices: Women, Contraception & Unplanned Pregnancy[1] – conducted on 1,033 women who had experienced an unplanned pregnancy, also found that:
- 1 in 10 women either rarely or never felt comfortable to ask their partner to wear a condom;
- nearly half of all women do not take into consideration protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when choosing their method of contraception;
- 17% of women who hadn’t used contraception at the time of their unplanned pregnancy believed they weren’t fertile, or wouldn’t become pregnant; and
- 80% of women didn’t seek emergency contraception and of those, 44% did not because they thought they would not become pregnant.
“These figures are proof of the need to increase the range of contraceptive options available in Australia and implement a dedicated contraceptive user education campaign,” said Ms Michelson.
In response to the findings, Marie Stopes International has developed www.contraceptioninfo.com.au. The website includes comprehensive information on the contraception options available to men and women, detailing the advantages, considerations and reliability of each method.
“In our day-to-day dealings with both men and women, we’ve found that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about sexually transmitted infections,” said Ms Michelson.
“A number of women also aren’t aware of the many different contraception options available today, and therefore may not be using the ideal method for them.
“The type of contraception you choose should depend on your personal circumstances – your age, your way of life, whether or not you have children, your health and the need to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
“And it is vital to remember that the only form of contraception that protects you against both STIs and pregnancy is a condom, and the only way to make sure your sexual health is in the clear is to have regular STI check ups.”
About Marie Stopes International: Marie Stopes International is a not-for-profit sexual and reproductive healthcare provider, with centres in the ACT, VIC, NSW, QLD and WA. MSI offers a range of services, including abortion, vasectomy, sexually transmitted infection check-ups, contraception and community-based health promotion and education. The organisation is part of a global international partnership that delivers vital health services to over five million people in 42 countries worldwide. Surplus funds support Marie Stopes International Australia, our charity partner, which works to save lives and improve sexual and reproductive health in Indigenous Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
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[1]Australian's safe sex habits was commissioned by Marie Stopes International and conducted online by Pureprofile on 1,002 sexually active males and females nationally aged 18-40.
