Health & Fitness

Friday October 2, 2009

Let’s talk about sex, baby

By Punitha Yogaratnam

Contraception. It is a topic that is rarely discussed in the media, among friends or with one's parents. But it is a topic that ought to be discussed especially at home, stresses Dr Premitha Damodaran, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist and Professor Jamiyah Hassan, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist & Chair of the Asia Pacific Council on Contraception, formed in 2006.

At the media launch of the World Contraception Day 2009, Prof Jamiyah says the findings of the first ever multi-national survey exploring young people's attitudes towards sex and contraception were a "cause of concern". She says, "Many young people say they are too self-conscious, embarrassed or concerned they will appear promiscuous if they talk about sex or contraception, and consequently are making decisions based on inaccurate information and guess work."

The survey, Talking Sex And Contraception: What Young People Around The World Told Us, involved over 6,000 young adults aged between 15 to 24 in 18 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and North America.

Data from the survey showed that one in two Malaysian youths aged 18 to 21 years are not familiar with or are confused about the different contraception methods available. The survey goes on to show that in Malaysia, 91 percent of those surveyed believed that a condom was the most effective way to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

THE GOAL: "What we want is for every child to be a wanted child and a world where every pregnancy is a wanted pregnancy." -- Prof Jamiyah Hassan

Prof Jamiyah however says that the effectiveness of the condom depends on how it is used. "If you use it effectively, yes the condom works but in smaller unpublished surveys it's been found that most Malaysians who are using condoms as a preventive measure are not using it correctly."

Dr Premitha adds that using a condom is always advisable as it helps prevent certain sexual transmitted diseases, but she says that oral contraceptive pills should also be used as a double precaution against possible condom "accidents" which includes possible tears in the condom or accidental leakage.

Oral contraceptives have come a long way says Dr. Premitha explaining that currently there are many ranges of the pill to suit every woman. "Apart from being a contraceptive, the pill has also immense non-contraceptive benefits that include regulating the monthly periods to make it lighter and less painful, it also gives you great skin and it cuts down the risk for uterine and ovarian cancers."

She adds that the survey showed that more Malaysians tend to use the condom rather than an oral contraceptive pill. Women have not been educated enough about the benefits of the pill, she says adding that the pill is a better form of contraception than the condom as its effectiveness is 99.9% more than compared to the use of a condom which has only a 93% effectiveness against an unwanted pregnancy.

Apart from the types of contraceptives used, 30% of males and 40% of females surveyed in Malaysia said they believed the withdrawal method (when the male removes his penis before ejaculating) was an effective prevention to an unplanned pregnancy. This is not a full proof method, Dr Premitha cautions. She explains that small drops of sperm can escape before ejaculation. In fact, 100 in every 1,000 women will get pregnant with the withdrawal method.

"Unplanned pregnancies are increasing all around the world. Poor planning and wrong knowledge or use of contraception are contributory factors. In Malaysia we do not have the statistics for unplanned pregnancies but a local study done on pregnancies in single women in 2004, showed that about 70% of these women were less than 23 years of age," Dr Premitha says.

However, she stresses that although there is a wide range of contraceptive methods to help in unwanted pregnancies, these methods will only work if young adults are educated in its use and existence. "This is why we need to educate the young generation about having a choice, planning for the future and being prepared when it comes time for them to have a child."

Prof Jamiyah says the vision of the World Contraception Day campaign is for a "world where every pregnancy is wanted". This, she adds, is in line with the goal of reproductive health where "every child is a wanted child".

"It is our hope that the youth of today would turn to their parents for information on contraception and sexual health. Sex education should begin at home, continued through school, and college and by the time these youngsters reach adolescence they are prepared and they would know what to expect," Prof Jamiyah explains.

FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH: (L-R) JV Leong, Head Administration & General Services of Federation of Reproductive Health Associations, Malaysia, Dr. Premitha, Prof Jamiyah, Dr Shunitra and Andy Siow, Marketing Manager, Women's Healthcare, Bayer Schering Pharma

For this year's World Contraception Day, a Youth Task Force was established to provide a credible and trusted voice to speak to those aged between 15 to 19 years old. The task force is made up of well-known leaders and celebrities, including MTV VJ Denise Keller, who were specifically selected because they inspire admiration and respect among young people.

Dr Shunitra Devi, Medical Director at Bayer Schering Pharma Malaysia urges all Malaysian youths to play a more proactive role in taking responsibility for their bodies and lives. "You can do so by pledging your support at www.your-life-asia.com. This regional youth pledge is an opportunity for the Malaysian youth to join voices with others across Asia Pacific to make the right choices, avoid unplanned pregnancies and STDs, as well as to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive health."

What the survey showed about the Malaysian youth:

* Over 56% are not familiar with or confused about the different contraception methods available.

* Almost 60% either do not talk about contraception or found it difficult to talk about it with their partners before they had sex for the first time.

* Almost 20% have had sex with a new partner without using contraception.

* More than 20% of females did not use contraception because they do not like using contraception and another 20% females did not use because their partner prefers not to use contraception.

* 91% of young Malaysians think that the condom is an effective contraceptive method.

* One in five young Malaysians has asked someone online for advice on contraception.

* 59% of Malaysian youths would like someone they can consult in confidence, while 57% would like better sex education in school.