Reporting a few cases of negative side effects is alarmist and damaging
A story aired on the ABC that reported on issues concerning long-acting contraceptives was unbalanced and alarmist writes Associate Professor Kirsten Black.
Last night ABC鈥檚 7.30 featured a聽聽(LARC) that was unbalanced and alarmist. This could have a long-lasting detrimental impact on women鈥檚 reproductive health in Australia.
The segment focused on the contraceptive implant (Implanon NXT) and the intrauterine system (Mirena) and presented two cases of women who experienced adverse side effects from use of these methods.
The report completely failed to present the experience of the majority of women who are happy with these devices and reap many benefits. These include reduced period bleeding and pain, as well as reliable protection from unintended pregnancy.
In studies where women are followed up a year after commencing one of these methods, over 80% of women continue to use them. This reflects聽听辞蹿听.
The figures of adverse events quoted by the ABC demonstrate how uncommon any major complications are - affecting less than one in a thousand women. Large聽听丑补惫别听聽these devices to be extremely safe and highly effective at preventing pregnancy.
All consultations about contraception involve discussing the risks and benefits of different methods. Women should be able to make a fully informed decision that best suits their needs.
础听聽(the CHOICE study) involving more than 7,000 women showed, when provided with evidence-based information, more than two-thirds of women chose a LARC method with high levels of聽听补苍诲听.
罢丑别听聽in favour of the use of long-acting contraceptive methods is聽聽the World Health Organisation supports strategies to聽. Increasing access to LARC methods is a health priority of governments in the US and UK.
The reason for this widespread support for LARC methods comes from reports finding聽聽result from use of contraceptive methods that require daily adherence such as pills and condoms. No interventions have been found to improve regularity or consistency of use of these methods, nor to lower unintended pregnancies.
Because of high fertility and less reliable adherence to contraceptive methods,聽聽may be particularly susceptible to unintended pregnancy.
罢丑别听聽reported that among all 14-45 year-old women, 67% chose to use an implant or an intrauterine device. When followed up for three years their risk of unintended pregnancy was 20 times lower compared with women who had chosen to use a contraceptive pill, patch or ring, which require taking or changing regularly.
This reporting by the ABC is irresponsible and detrimental to women鈥檚 health. Dedicated health professionals strive to improve the reproductive health outcomes of women in Australia and beyond, and unbalanced reporting could negatively affect progress in this area.
Unintended pregnancies have an enormous impact on the economic, social, psychological and physical aspects of women鈥檚 lives. International consensus supports the safety and efficacy of LARC as the most effective public health strategy to address this.
聽is Joint Head of the Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology. This article was originally published on聽.