CONTRACEPTION
Decision-making concerning fertility control is, for many people, a deeply personal and sensitive issue, often involving religious or philosophical convictions. Thus, it is important for the clinician to approach the subject with particular sensitivity, empathy, maturity, and nonjudg-mental behavior.Despite the introduction of modern contraceptives, unintended or unplanned pregnancies continue to be a major problem in the United States. According to the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth, there were a total of 6.3 million pregnancies in the United States, of which 49.2% were unintended. Among the unintended pregnancies, nearly half result in a pregnancy termination and over 10% in spontaneous abortion, a substantial degree of pregnancy wastage. Unintended and unplanned pregnancies have social and economic ramifications; they also have a significant impact on public health. Approximately 40% of unintended pregnancies occur among women who do not desire pregnancy yet do not use a method of contraception. Approximately 60% of unintended pregnancies occur among women using some form of birth control. Such data suggest that many women and couples are inadequately motivated to use contraception, that side effects may be problematic for some, that access may be an issue for others, or that some methods may be difficult for women to use correctly.
Comments (2)
There are 1000's, millions, of unplanned, unwanted pregnancies all over the world....that happen so easily! and then there are 1000's and millions of woman that wonder how the hell it is possible, when they are surrounded by thermometers, temperature charts and graphs, calenders with days circled!, taking every pill under the sun, injecting themselves with all sorts of drugs, listening and believing all the old wives tales (just wondering/hoping that they will come true!).....and still nothing - except the huge disappointment that arrives every month!
I know, been there, done that!