Is the UK’s latest effort to cut the number of unwanted pregnancies really signaling a revolution in contraception? Maybe not, but it’s still pretty exciting. The 27-million pound campaign encourages alternatives to the pill and also provides for free condoms and kits to test for pregnancy and STDs.
The campaign discourages birth control pills and encourages longer-lasting contraceptive methods. Up to 8 out of 10 women on the pill forget to take it at least twice a month, so it makes sense to give publicity to LARCs (long-acting reversible contraceptives). A lot of people are turned off by the idea of semi-permanent birth control because it’s “unnatural” or they’re worried about not being able to get pregnant when they decide they want to. I think LARCs are great in theory, but I’d be a little bit concerned about some of their side effects (ectopic pregnancy, heavier periods, etc.). I’m not down with hating on the pill too much, but I am all for having a wide range of birth control methods available. I think it’s important that women are thoroughly educated on their options before they start using any of them. That’s what this part of the campaign is really about, since there’s no incentive provided to use one of the LARCs instead of the pill.
Wider accessibility of condoms is important to prevent unwanted pregnancies and guard against STDs too. This campaign is explicitly about reducing the teen pregnancy rate, but I’m glad that the government is talking about STDs at the same time. Too often it seems like only one of these is stressed when people talk about safe sex, while they’re both so important. So that’s why I’m excited about the other part of this campaign: “vending machines” that will dispense free condoms, pregnancy tests, and STD test kits. The vending machines would only be for patients who had registered with a sexual health clinic or primary care trust, which effectively means that users would have a little bit of sex ed under their belts before they could get to the free goods. Sounds like a win-win.
Probably the part of this campaign that I think is the most exciting (and revolutionary) is the £14 million that’s going toward looking for innovative new ways to get information about sexual health and contraception out to young people. This has probably gotten the least press as of yet, but I can’t wait to see what they’re going to come up with. Ideas?
