BMJ 1995;311:1226 (4 November)

Letters

Early education about contraception is needed

EDITOR,--Alex R Mellanby and colleagues' study highlights the importanceof targeted sexual education programmes involving doctors, teachers, and parents in the prevention of unwanted pregnancy in teenagers.1 The rate of teenage pregnancy in Britain is among the highest in Europe and seven times higher than that in the Netherlands despite the similarity in the rate of teenage sexual activity among industrialised countries. Only 40% of American teenagers are reported to use contraception during their first year of sexual activity.2

At the same time, data suggest that it is possible to improve these statistics by introducing new contraceptive methods as well as by continuing to encourage the appropriate use of existing methods, with intensive counselling of users.3 It is essential, therefore, that appropriate education about contraception is delivered at an early stage by unbiased professionals and is free from public moralising. This should be accompanied by the availability of several choices of . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

School sex education: an experimental programme with educational and medical benefit
Alex R Mellanby, Fran A Phelps, Nicola J Crichton, and John H Tripp
BMJ 1995 311: 414-417. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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