Printed from: https://archive.cmf.org.uk/advocacy/early-life/contraception/?index=20
The Morning After Pill (MAP) is an umbrella term for various regimens of hormonal emergency contraception. It is licensed for use up to 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse, provided the woman's menstrual bleed is not overdue.[1] In January 2001, amidst much public and medical debate, MAP became available over the...
My London medical practice has seen a huge rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) over the past few years. Genitourinary medicine clinics are struggling with the increasing workload and the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases is promoting training courses to help GPs cope. Despite well-funded Government initiatives,...
The rate of unwanted teenage pregnancies in the UK is one of the highest in Europe at 8.2 per 1000, and one of the 'Health of the Nation' targets is to decrease this by 50% by the year 2000[1]. Effective contraceptive services are one way in which the government is...
Teenage pregnancies on the increase The British teenage pregnancy level is now the highest in Europe. Currently 9.4 per 1000 13-15 year-olds and 63 per 1000 16-19 year-olds get pregnant each year:[1],[2] twice the rate in Germany, four times that in France and seven times that in Holland. 87% of...
You don't need a classical education to know 'doctor' means teacher. Doctors are expected to teach, and the traditional apprenticeship model epitomised by 'see one, do one, teach one' is only gradually being replaced by skills-based teaching aimed at competencies which can be assessed. From my early days of teaching groups...
Requests for postcoital contraception (PCC) cause me more ethical discomfort than anything. They raise practical problems that can be greater than those surrounding requests for abortion, and GPs as well as those working in A&E, gynaecology and family planning have to decide what their attitudes and practice must be. Christian teaching One...
The status of the embryo is one issue that has profound implications for the way we practise medicine; not least for the advice we give about contraception. Contraceptives usually act by one of three ways; by preventing ovulation, by interfering with sperm and ovum transport, or by preventing implantation of...
The Family Planning Association (FPA) and Pharmacy Healthcare Scheme joined forces this Christmas to encourage the use of emergency ‘contraception’.[1] The FPA estimates that 650,000 prescriptions are written each year for emergency contraception and that the overall risk of pregnancy after a single episode of unprotected sex is 2-4% rising...
Breakdown of family life Not long ago I attended a GP refresher course lecture, in which we learned about a study in Exeter investigating the effect of divorce or separation on children. The study has confirmed what I think most people could deduce by common sense - the effect is...
The Morality of Contraception Those of us who have been involved in the abortion debate for many years will have found the question of contraception arising from time to time. It is an issue that is related and yet different. First of all what is the basis for accepting that it...
