Limited data on contraceptive use before and during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic could mean unforeseen problems for sexual and reproductive health services, a University of Warwick study concludes.
It highlights additional barriers women face in accessing contraception during the Covid-19 lockdown, including disruptions in sexual health services and fears of contracting the virus, as well as the urgent need to ensure that access to contraception is maintained to prevent health and social problems from impacting unplanned pregnancies beyond the pandemic.
The study, published in the European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, is a comprehensive review of existing research on the impact of disasters on contraception in higher income countries like the UK to aid in disaster relief planning. The aim is to establish existing knowledge from previous disasters and epidemics, with a major focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Previous research has shown that disasters are associated with increased rates of premature loss of pregnancy, stillbirths, premature births, and increased birth rates. However, no research has been done to date on how it affects contraceptive use and what effects it can have on women’s reproductive health.
Contraceptive access guidelines vary by country and include access to:
- Oral contraceptive tablets
- Contraceptive injection
- Intrauterine Device (IUD) or Intrauterine System (IUS)
In the UK, birth control through the NHS is free but requires a prescription. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has created new barriers that may have kept women from accessing contraception. They could avoid seeing a doctor because of fear of contracting Covid-19 or concerns about travel, especially if they rely on public transport.
However, research highlighted examples of good practice in overcoming these obstacles, such as providing contraceptives through the drive-through or on the side of the road. Some health care providers have been able to maintain access to contraception through telemedicine (i.e. video or telephone consultations), but this has been fraught with security and privacy issues. Evidence from outside the UK also showed that emergency contraception without prescription rather than free contraception had a greater impact on unplanned pregnancies.
With no data on contraceptive use prior to the pandemic, it is unclear how successful these methods were and how women’s access to contraception was affected. The researchers recommend collecting more data on contraceptive acceptance, understanding the benefits and pitfalls of telemedicine methods, and offering more contraceptives over the counter, as is currently being considered for the progestogen-only pills.
Co-author Dr. Julia Gauly of Warwick Medical School said, “We don’t have a clear picture of how contraceptive adoption changes during disasters or the Covid-19 pandemic because we don’t have enough data from before, during, and. have to compare after the crisis. Collecting better data would enable us in the future to better predict things like birth rates. “
It is important that women have access to contraception and choices, especially during disasters. Many people lost their jobs or contracted Covid during the pandemic, so women’s contraceptive needs may have changed. Someone looking to raise a family could change their minds during a crisis or pandemic for financial or health reasons. It is therefore important that women and their partners have choices when planning their families. “
Dr. Julia Gauly, co-author, Warwick Medical School
Source:
Journal reference:
Freed, B., et al. (2021) The Impact of Disasters on Contraception in OECD Member Countries: A Scope Review. European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care. doi.org/10.1080/13625187.2021.1934440.
source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/lack-of-contraception-data-could-conceal-pandemics-impact-on-womens-reproductive-health/
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