Pill and condoms not preventing pregnancy

More than half of Australian women who unexpectedly get pregnant are either on the pill or using condoms at the time, a survey has found.

The report into unplanned pregnancy by sexual health organisation Marie Stopes International shows that 43 per cent of women were on the oral contraceptive pill when it occurred.

A further 22 per cent were using a condom and 21 per cent of the women using contraception were on more than one method.

Marie Stopes International acting chief executive Jill Michelson said the figures were proof of the need to increase the range of contraceptive options in Australia, invest in research to improve contraceptive efficacy and implement a dedicated contraceptive user education campaign.

"With the pill in particular, timing is very important, and it won't work well if you're on antibiotics or have diarrhoea and vomiting, but many don't know this," Ms Michelson said.

"Unplanned pregnancy is clearly a key health issue for Australian women and this research provides insight into the reality of reproductive choice, a reality that the Rudd Government needs to address urgently."

The Melbourne-based organisation surveyed 2,041 women and found 1,033 had had an unplanned pregnancy.

Nearly half of all women did not take into consideration protection against sexually transmitted infections when choosing their method of contraception, according to the Real Choices: Women, Contraception & Unplanned Pregnancy report.

One in 10 either rarely or never felt comfortable to ask their partner to wear a condom.

And one third of women who were not using contraception at the time of their unplanned pregnancy had not been planning or expecting to have sex.

Eighty per cent did not seek emergency contraception.

The World Health Organisation states that even if couples use contraception correctly 100 per cent of the time, there would be six million unplanned pregnancies each year.

Cait Calcutt, coordinator of Queensland-based unplanned pregnancy counselling service, said the research showed women were not using abortion as a form of contraception, as many people believed.

"When unplanned pregnancy does occur it is vital that women have access to the support necessary for them to make a real choice - everything from paid maternity leave to safe and legal abortion services," Ms Calcutt said.

AAP


Source:http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pill-and-condom-common-in-unplanned-pregnancy/2008/01/29/1201369099580.html

OMG thats pretty bad.

And those who thought the Pill was a 'sometimes' thing, not an every day thing

Well I was on the pill for 10 years and didn't use other contraceptives and managed not to get knocked up, but then I was totally paranoid and would take it like clockwork and would use other methods when on antibiotics or when I forgot a tab etc. I have also taken the morning after pill 3-4 times (Like I said paranoid!!!)

So I think it isn't that the methods don't work, just that women aren't using them properly. And if they don't think women are using abortion as a contraceptive then they should read the australian cosmo, cos they practically promote it, was the reason I stopped reading it.

Maya wrote: The Melbourne-based organisation surveyed 2,041 women and found 1,033 had had an unplanned pregnancy.

I knew nothing is 100% sure but this is just crazy! Surely they follow the instructions on the packet and how difficult is that anyways???
I guess in the odd case, all will fail and a determined little bub will be, but this stats is just waaaaay out there

yummymummy wrote: Maya wrote: The Melbourne-based organisation surveyed 2,041 women and found 1,033 had had an unplanned pregnancy. I knew nothing is 100% sure but this is just crazy! Surely they follow the instructions on the packet and how difficult is that anyways??? I guess in the odd case, all will fail and a determined little bub will be, but this stats is just waaaaay out there

Maybe not so out there... Kiya's a condom baby, Xavier and Jackson are mini-pill babies. Yes, I followed all instructions etc, no the condom didn't break, no we hadn't started early and then put the condom on, yes I took my pill at the same time every day and hadn't missed any, no I wasn't on antibotics or unwell when the boys were conceived.

My GP thinks I'm a really good candidate for an IUD

tash is a pill & condom baby. i always took my pill correctly and i wasnt on any meds or sick or anything and the condom was used correctly.
i think df and i are rather fetile though. only took us a week of trying after my iud was taken out to get preggy with twins lol.

i agree with toniellis- only change of not getting pg-is not doing the bd at all.