Monday 9 February 2009

According to new figures launched today by fpa (Family Planning Association) almost one in three UK women aged 18-49 typically spends up to just five minutes selecting a suitable contraceptive method to use. Yet, almost half of these women (47%) have had a pregnancy scare (thinking they were or could be pregnant when they didn’t want to be).

Commenting on the findings Julie Bentley, Chief Executive fpa said, “Worrying about pregnancy is very common as the emotional and financial costs of an unplanned pregnancy can be extremely high. Women lead busy lives full of demanding commitments and often end up prioritising other people’s needs above their own. But contraception is a massively important issue. We think women should be putting themselves first and spending time to make sure they’ve got the right method for them from the wide choice available.

“However, another issue,” said Julie, “is that contraceptive choice isn’t just a clinical decision, it’s a lifestyle one and it should be promoted this way to women much more than it currently is. All health professionals involved in giving contraceptive consultations should be making women aware of what’s available so they can find the best method for them at that time.”

These findings are part of fpa’s Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use) campaign to promote greater control over contraceptive choice among women and health professionals. 

fpa estimates there are potentially two million women using a contraceptive method that they are not happy with [1]. There are fifteen methods of contraception, each differing in what they are, how they are used and who they are suitable for. Despite this, the pill and the condom are still overwhelmingly the most common methods used [2] and offered. If women aren’t happy with a method, they are more likely to stop using it and put themselves at risk of pregnancy. 

To help reduce unplanned pregnancy and abortion, fpa’s campaign aims to empower women to find the method that suits them and their lifestyle best and to support health professionals to promote contraception this way.

fpa’s new research also revealed that weight gain and mood swings are more important to women than their sex drive when deciding on contraception.

Putting on weight was the most common reason given by women for not wanting to use a particular method. Mood changes/swings were listed as second, knowing someone who had a bad experience using it was third, with not having enough information coming in as fourth. Being put off having sex was only cited as the fifth reason for being put off a particular contraceptive method.

“It is quite sad that body image has prevailed so far into our culture, that women are pressurised into worrying more about how they look, than how fulfilling their sex lives are,” concluded Julie.

Conducted by GfK NOP, 958 women aged 18–49 in the UK were surveyed via their face-to-face omnibus survey. The survey was nationally representative. Weighting was applied to the data to bring it in line with national profiles. The research was conducted 4–16 December 2008 for fpa’s Contraceptive Awareness Week (9-15 February 2009) themed Finding the Perfect Partner (choose what you use).

                                                            -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.

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

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

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

Notes to Editors:

[1] Asked ‘which one of these would say applies to you when thinking about your current contraceptive method?’ 14% of women said they were either very unhappy, unhappy or that their method was okay. Current population data shows there are 13,076,766 women aged 18-49 in the UK and 14% of this equates to 1,830,747 women.

[2] Contraception use among women under 50, Office for National Statistics in Great Britain in 2007/8 data showed that 28% of women used the pill, followed by 25% using the male condom. The next most common method was sterilisation at 7%.

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