Many Chinese women have limited knowledge of contraception
methods, according to the results of a survey released
in?Shanghai yesterday.
About 42 percent of women with unplanned pregnancies had
unprotected sex and most respondents still have a poor
understanding of oral contraceptive pills. The survey, carried out
by the Nanjing Organon Pharmaceutical Co and Sina.com, covered
4,281 Netizens mostly aged between 20 and 30 from all over the
nation, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
More than 64 percent of women consider the condom as the best
contraceptive method. Only 7.7 percent take regular oral
contraceptive pills, which are used by 30 percent to 40 percent of
Western women.
However, more than 40 percent of surveyed women said they take a
morning-after pill at least once a year. About 13 percent of this
group takes morning-after pills more than three times a year.
The survey found that 19 percent of respondents don't know the
difference between a regular pill and a morning-after pill.
"Over 63 percent of women expressed worries about contraceptive
pills' side effects because of the estrogen," said Feng Yuzeng, a
doctor from Shanghai No. 1 People's Hospital's gynecology
department.
"It is a misunderstanding. Present contraceptive pills have a
very low estrogen content and won't hamper people's health if taken
properly.
"In addition to birth control, the pills have other positive
effects, like regulating periods and controlling ovarian cancer and
endometrium cancer.
"Doctors always suggest that women take pills with the lowest
estrogen content, particularly for the young."
(Shanghai Daily October 26, 2007)