Sexually active women advised to use the Pill to reduce abortion rate
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 21 May 2008 1950 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Doctors are calling for more women to use the Pill to protect against unwanted pregnancies and ovarian cancer.

At present, just seven per cent of sexually active women in Singapore use the Pill as a contraceptive, compared to 27 per cent in the US and 33 per cent in the UK.

This call to sexually active women was made on Wednesday at the launch of a survey by the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society to find out young women's attitudes towards contraception, and how they practise it.

The society will survey 1,000 women, aged 20 to 35, over a three-month period to find out if lifestyle factors affect a woman's choice of contraception. The results of the survey will be released in the final quarter of this year.

The society also wants to promote sexual responsibility and inform women about the risks and complications of abortion.

In 2006, the abortion rate rose to more than 12,000 cases, after a 10-year decline. Teenagers accounted for 1,391 of the abortions.

The society's survey in 2007 showed that 75 per cent of sexually active women were not prepared for an unwanted pregnancy, but only 54 per cent used some form of contraception.

Doctors said that while condoms are the best protection against sexually transmitted infections, the Pill is better at preventing unwanted pregnancies.

The Pill has a success rate of more than 99 per cent compared to 85 to 98 per cent for condoms, depending on how they are used. So for the best protection, sexually active women should use both, as the Pill also has health benefits.

Dr Christopher Ng, council member, Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society, said: "The benefits of the Pill outweigh the risks. And one of the benefits in particular is the prevention of ovarian cancer. We know that the longer you are taking the Pill, (it) reduces your risk of ovarian cancer." - CNA/vm