FED: "Morning after pill" cause of confusion for many
By Danny Rose, Medical Writer03 Jun 2009 12:01 AM
Subject: FED: "Morning after pill" cause of confusion for many FED: "Morning after pill" cause of confusion for many (Eds: Embargoed until 0001 AEST, Wednesday, June 3)
SYDNEY, June 3 AAP - Young Australians support the use of the "morning after pill", research shows, but are mostly in the dark about when to use it.
Most students who took part in the University of South Australia study were found to be confused by the layman's description of the tablet, as they believed it could only taken on the morning after unprotected sex.
"The term `morning after pill', still used by both health professionals and the general community, serves to perpetuate this misunderstanding," said Dr Helen Calabretto, from the university's School of Nursing and Midwifery.
"The correct terminology `emergency contraception' should be stressed."
While the tablet is best used as soon as is practical, the advice from the drug's maker is it can be used effectively up to 72 hours - three days - after unprotected sex.
Dr Calabretto said the experience across the nation's family planning, youth and sexual health clinics was that it could be taken up to 120 hours - five days - after sex.
But when almost 630 first-year university students were quizzed on this critical time window, only 25 per cent knew the contraceptive could be taken beyond the "morning after".
About half mistakenly thought a woman had to wait for 12 hours after sex before taking the tablet, which interrupts ovulation.
Dr Calabretto's research also found a third of students didn't know the pill was available over the counter at chemists, thinking a doctor's prescription was necessary.
A third of students knew it was available from hospital emergency departments, and about half knew it could also be obtained from a sexual health or youth clinic.
Almost 60 per cent of students said they would consider using the pill after unprotected sex, versus 17 per cent who disagreed with its use.
This support was despite widespread misconceptions amongst young people, Dr Calabretto says, adding the misconceptions should be addressed with a public awareness campaign.
"(It) needs to be better understood by all members of the community as a back-up contraceptive method after unprotected sexual intercourse to reduce the number of terminations of pregnancy and unwanted pregnancy," she said.
The study results are published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
AAP dr/jpm/cdh =0A
FED: "Morning after pill" cause of confusion for many