20 January 2009

fpa’s new Valentine’s campaign for Contraceptive Awareness Week (9-15 Feb 2009) is called Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use).

Over a hundred years ago our great grandmothers had to make do with sponges soaked in lemon as contraception or endure sex with condoms made out of animal intestines. In 2009 there are 14 methods of very effective contraception available – with more on the way. Nevertheless the pill and the condom are still the most commonly offered and used.

Modern contraception isn’t just about preventing pregnancy. How women want control over their fertility, their body, their bleeding and their time will vary from one method to another. During this campaign, fpa wants to get every woman matched up with her perfect partner and find the contraceptive method that suits her and her lifestyle best.

A new piece of market research into women’s experiences of contraception is being launched on the 9 February 2009 by fpa. In the meantime, to get health professionals thinking about women’s contraceptive needs, campaign packs filled with a fabulous set of posters ‘shoes, make-up, handbags’ (above), leaflets and briefings have been sent to every General Practice in the UK as well as contraception clinics, NHS Walk-in Centres and genitourinary medicine clinics (sexual health).

To help women, fpa is hosting a wealth of information and advice on its website www.fpa.org.uk. During the week women will be able to download a new leaflet ‘Your Contraceptive Choices’, find advice and information about all the methods, check their facts against an urban myth buster, and get some pointers from ‘Thinking about contraception,’ written especially for women needing some direction navigating through their choices.

More information on the campaign, Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use) is available from www.fpa.org.uk/News/Campaigns/Findingtheperfectpartner

Previews of campaign posters and leaflets are available from www.fpa.org.uk/news/News/Campaigns/Findingtheperfectpartner/Campaignposters

Jpegs of the poster images are available from fpa’s Press Office

-ENDS-

For further information please contact fpa’s press office on 020 7608 5265/5264

Mobile 07958 921060.

fpa (Family Planning Association) is the only registered charity working to improve the sexual health and reproductive rights of all people throughout the UK.

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