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Nov 22nd
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Sexual Health Women using 'unreliable' contraception
Sexual Health Women using 'unreliable' contraception | Women using 'unreliable' contraception |
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ONE in 10 Australian women in their late 20s routinely use the notoriously unreliable withdrawal method to avoid pregnancy, a national survey reveals. Results of the major study present the latest picture on the sexual health of a typical 30-year-old Australian woman. It shows 28 per cent have not had a pap smear in the past two years, despite health guidelines urging them to do so. And 17 per cent admitted they had had a sexually transmitted infection in their lifetime, a "very conservative" estimate, said Dr Jayne Lucke, senior researcher in the school of population health at the University of Queensland. A third said they had slept with six or more men by the age of 25. The data, released at a national public health conference in Brisbane today, also showed patterns in contraception use, revealing a trend away from the pill towards newer forms like the vaginal ring. About a quarter of those who were using contraception admitted using condoms alone to protect themselves, a method not recommended by sexual health specialists. But even more concerning was the trend towards use of the withdrawal method, Dr Lucke said. "We found that of the 6,840 women who we interviewed, 10 per cent used the withdrawal method on a regular basis," she said. That's high and definitely a worry because it really can't be relied on as a means of avoiding pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI)." Dr Lucke said while teenage girls and women in their early 20s should be most heavily targeted for sexual education campaigns, women in their late 20s and early 30s were in need too. "Just because they're getting a bit older doesn't mean they're not at risk as we've shown here," she said. "There's still a strong need for good, age-appropriate sexual health services for these women." Debate continues on how best to manage sexual and reproductive health services in Australia, with STIs, pregnancy and contraception being dealt with separately. But Dr Lucke said there was a convincing argument for a more co-ordinated holistic approach. |
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