 News
22nd June 2008
Women know more about dieting than the PillWomen
are more savvy about slimming than contraceptive hormones, according to a new
study. Research conducted by Bayer Schering Pharma shows that women are
more interested in food intake than hormone intake, with 80 per cent of women
saying they think regularly about the fat and calories in their food. Only 44
per cent admitted to giving any thought to the hormones in their contraceptive
pill. Of the 1000 UK women surveyed, 96 per cent said they understood how
a high fat diet affects their body, but only a third were aware of the effect
from hormones in the Pill. The contraceptive pill is the most common form
of contraceptive favoured by approximately 3.5 million women in the UK. The
Pill is usually estimated to be over 99 per cent effective, although that figure
relates to perfect Pill use. Actual failure rates are estimated to run at around
6 per cent, which means six out of every hundred Pill users fall pregnant each
year. Overweight women are 60 per cent more likely to fall pregnant whilst
taking the Pill. Geoffrey Chamberlain, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology
at the University of Wales College of Medicine, said: "The Pill is not so effective
in overweight women. "The hormones get absorbed into the fat, so the
blood concentration and the effect on the ovaries is lower." Although
it is encouraging that women are dedicated to healthy eating, they shouldn't ignore
other substances that they put through their bodies as a matter of course. Dr
Catherine Hood, sexual health expert, said: "While different nutrients have
different health benefits, different hormone levels in different Pills can have
varying effects on your body too. "Because Pills are made up of different
types and amounts of hormones, you may find that one Pill gives you unwanted side
effects, whilst another may give you additional non-contraceptive benefits. "Everyone
is different so I would urge young women to discuss which Pill is best for them
with their healthcare professional before making a decision." Pill goes
on sale on internet in UKThe contraceptive pill will be sold by an officially-sanctioned
UK website from today. Until now it has been available only on prescription
from GPs and clinics. The doctors running the DrThom website say it is
aimed at busy working mothers and those living a long way from a GP. But
the development has raised fears that young girls will go online and buy the Pill.
There are also warnings that an internet service cannot carry out the same
health checks as GPs - and that the side-effect dangers of the drug mean it should
not be 'handed out like Smarties'. The DrThom site states that it is the
only online medical service registered with the watchdog Healthcare Commission.
It is the first UK-based internet service to sell the Pill, although a
number of websites worldwide offer the contraceptive. Website founder Dr
Thomas Van Every, a sexual health expert at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital,
said orders in which the patient's name does not match that on the credit card
will be rejected and it was unlikely a youngster would pay online for medication
she could receive free from a GP. But he admitted there was no way of stopping
under-18s circumventing the system. A girl who had never been prescribed
the Pill could use her mother's name and credit card details. Or a woman could
buy the Pill for a younger sister or friend. The company also has no way
of confirming whether a customer is already taking the drug and is having regular
checks for potential problems. Dr Stammers, a trustee of Family and Youth
Concern and chairman of the Christian Medical Fellowship, pointed out that the
Pill can raise blood pressure, and there are risks of potentially fatal conditions
caused by blood clots. Independent clinics and health services that provide
medicines, like DrThom, have to be regulated and inspected by the UK's health
watchdog - the Healthcare Commission. Where to next?
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