Keeping Emergency Contraception On Hand
Guys, do you have a back-up handy for your "wardrobe malfunction"?
"Condoms can be very effective protection against the risk of pregnancy, but when one breaks or slips off, a responsible, caring guy should have a plan - Plan B", says Greg Smith, the Executive Director of Options for Sexual Health (OPT).
Plan B is an emergency contraceptive that is now available over the counter, without a prescription, for sale to men and women. It can be purchased in advance of need as an extra level of protection against unplanned pregnancy. OPT has consistently encouraged women to have the protection at hand; now men can do the same and offer it to their female partner in case of a mishap. "I think it should be in every sexually active gentleman's medicine cabinet", Smith adds.
Under ideal conditions of use, condoms are 98% effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. In real-life use, their effectiveness is about 85%, due to breakage or slippage. Education on proper use is a big factor in the equation.
Smith notes: "There is still no contraceptive pill for men, but many men are willing to carry their share of the responsibility for preventing an unplanned pregnancy. Now that we can provide Plan B to men, they have more they can contribute if something goes wrong." Plan B is available at pharmacies and from all OPT clinics, but OPT has taken the lead in Canada to make it easily available for both men and women. OPT is hoping that others will follow its lead: to assist other health care providers to do so, OPT has made its guidelines and other supplementary materials publicly available on its website, www.optbc.org.
Plan B, comprising the drug Levonorgestrel, can be used by women following unprotected intercourse to reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89%. It is most effective the sooner it is taken after unprotected intercourse, but can be used up to five days to prevent pregnancy. Plan B works in three ways: preventing the release of an egg from the ovaries; preventing the fertilization of an egg by sperm; and preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. It cannot end a pregnancy already established.
For interviews, please contact:
Jessica Peart
Manager, Executive Services
Options for Sexual Health
Media Cell: 604-786-0725
- 30 -
