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Contraception not always right

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The Pill

Women do not always receive the best form of contraception for them because of false fears and myths, a new survey suggests.

A poll of 55 Scottish women, recently published in a family planning journal revealed worries over weight-gain stopped many women from opting for long-acting hormonal contraception.

Forms such as the coil and implants were dismissed because women did not want to receive examinations or invasive procedures.

Many of those quizzed simply opted for the pill to follow their peers.

The Department of Health and the Scottish authorities are both actively encouraging the use of long-acting contraceptives, which promise fewer side-effects and are reliable.

Health guidelines currently state that all women should be offered these options when seeing a GP about contraception.

However, it seems these forms are not popular with only one in ten women saying they have used them in the past year and less than a quarter of the number using oral contraceptives of condoms instead.

When specialists in Scotland tried to dig deeper and find out why women avoided long-acting forms of contraception, they found that the two primary factors which put women off were the unsubstantiated fears that they would harm their long-term fertility and also that they would put on weight.

Professor Anna Glasier, from Sexual Health NHS Lothian, said: 'We are shooting ourselves in the foot by saying they are long-acting, and we need to emphasise that they don't impair fertility, and the majority of them don't affect weight.

'Doctors tend to focus on medical problems, whereas women are actually more worried about their weight, their skin and their chances of being able to have children in the future.'

For more information about all the forms of contraception available to you click here.

Monday 6 October 2008

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I've used long term contraception for many years. I did have the injection and now the implant. I had no problems with gaining weight, and after coming off the injection my periods only took a few months to go back to normal. I was warned off the injection by some doctors though, which was the contraception I found the most helpful, for fears of ostioporosis. But a gynocologist told me that the injection is fine as long as you're healthy and get enough calcium. You just need to look into things. I'd recommend long term options to anyone, it's easiest and gives you a lot more freedom. Especially if you're not having periods, better for the environment too with no sanitary products to throw or flush away!
Comment by Becca on October 06 15:12

I've been using the Mirena (plastic flexible coil) for 6 years and I love it. I wasn't offered it but I found a leaflet in my Well Woman Centre in Ireland (where I'm from) and there was no quibble about getting it. I have had no problems whatsoever - no skin changes, no weight changes, no mood or other emotional ups & downs, which I did have with the pill. I have also not had my period since I got it, which is normal as the micrograms of hormone emitted prevents the build up of the uterine wall. My doctor in the UK said they don't offer it to women here because it's expensive, which I found shocking and insulting. I highly recommend it and though I have no personal experience of it, apparently fertility returns immediately after removal.
I highly recommend it.
Comment by Ida on October 11 20:46

I really wish that the options were explained fuller. I'm looking into contraception as for me personally getting pregnant would be devestating. I just don't want that. But I wish that I had been told more options and would not have to root out the information myself. And I'm never quite sure who I'm supposed to go to. I'm 22 but I look younger than I am and I tend to not get treated me age.
Comment by clara on March 16 21:39