44% of women have been unhappy with their contraception yet three quarters of GPs say they initiate discussions with women, according to results of a survey among UK women and their own GPs commissioned by Talk Choice.
"There’s a perception that women are more comfortable than men talking about their health, but when it comes to contraception and issues to do with sex, anxiety and embarrassment just get in the way of initiating the discussion with their GP. Contraception is a normal part of modern life but we need to start talking about choice to help reduce the 50 per cent of UK pregnancies that are currently unplanned," said Toni Belfield, Specialist in Sexual Health Information.
When women were dissatisfied with their contraception and told their GP, 41% say their GP went on to discuss only one or two alternative methods even though two thirds of GPs surveyed were aware of the guidance from NICE which recommends that women should be given information about and offered a choice of all methods including long-acting reversible contraception.1,2 One of the key reasons for women taking emergency contraception is forgetting ‘the Pill’.3
Nearly 60% of women rank GPs as their first port of call for information and advice on contraception, and more than half of women chose their current method because their GP recommended it. It may be difficult to cover all the options during a consultation but women can prepare themselves to get the most out of their appointment.
Dr Anne Szarewski, Associate Specialist in Family Planning at The Margaret Pyke Centre said: "GPs and other healthcare professionals play a key role in promoting contraceptive choice and ensuring women understand the method they are considering using. The survey reveals that women rely on healthcare professionals for advice/information, which is important to ensure a method is used properly and unplanned pregnancy is avoided. We need to make sure women have the best method for their lifestyle at that time."
www.talkchoice.co.uk is the national campaign all about contraceptive choice, aiming to inform and educate women about the full range of contraceptive options available to them.