 | I cycle round London and I love it – the views, being in the open air, knowing how long a journey’s going to take, feeling my blood pumping a little bit faster. You might think cycling is way too risky and that’s fine by me. I’m not going to tell anyone to cycle if they don’t feel comfortable with it. Nor am I going to claim that cycling works for every journey. |
Just like transport, choosing your contraception is all about balancing risks and quality of life.
What do you prioritise? What’s the best choice for you and your circumstances?
Maybe you've not had to think about your choice very much. You're happy with the pill or whatever method you're using. Or maybe you don't even need contraception.
If so, great. Job done - you can get on with your life.
But maybe you're not happy. You might be experiencing unpleasant side-effects, or you're worried about risks, or you just want a change. So you ask your health professional for advice.
If you're unlucky, you might find yourself being told to "persevere"1 with a method you find unacceptable. Or you might be told "Don't panic" which I find incredibly patronising. A quick look at the All Trials campaign shows that it is perfectly reasonable to be cautious about medication that we're expected to take for decades.
If you tell your doctor you're thinking about using fertility awareness (natural family planning), you might get huffed at or told "that's not a proper method".
You might even get a doctor who tells you "Well don't come back to me if you need an abortion".
Health professionals have their reasons for this kind of response - inadequate training, the massive queue outside their door, clumsy or biased guidance and targets.
Whatever the reason, if someone told me to not to use fertility awareness I'd feel like they were trying to take away my bike and force me to take the bus. I would not be impressed!
Fortunately, there are health professionals who know that choice isn't just about the obvious options and that real evidence based medicine2 is about patient-centred care.
They know bossing you about can mean you stop telling them the truth about your experiences, or else give up on contraception completely. And they know fertility awareness can be a highly effective option, so long as you know what you're doing and can handle your fertile time.
I'd hope they don't claim it's too complicated, or too much work. It takes a bit of getting used to, and a supportive partner, but it's not a massive deal.
Check if fertility awareness is right for you
Refs and reading
What do you prioritise? What’s the best choice for you and your circumstances?
Maybe you've not had to think about your choice very much. You're happy with the pill or whatever method you're using. Or maybe you don't even need contraception.
If so, great. Job done - you can get on with your life.
But maybe you're not happy. You might be experiencing unpleasant side-effects, or you're worried about risks, or you just want a change. So you ask your health professional for advice.
If you're unlucky, you might find yourself being told to "persevere"1 with a method you find unacceptable. Or you might be told "Don't panic" which I find incredibly patronising. A quick look at the All Trials campaign shows that it is perfectly reasonable to be cautious about medication that we're expected to take for decades.
If you tell your doctor you're thinking about using fertility awareness (natural family planning), you might get huffed at or told "that's not a proper method".
You might even get a doctor who tells you "Well don't come back to me if you need an abortion".
Health professionals have their reasons for this kind of response - inadequate training, the massive queue outside their door, clumsy or biased guidance and targets.
Whatever the reason, if someone told me to not to use fertility awareness I'd feel like they were trying to take away my bike and force me to take the bus. I would not be impressed!
Fortunately, there are health professionals who know that choice isn't just about the obvious options and that real evidence based medicine2 is about patient-centred care.
They know bossing you about can mean you stop telling them the truth about your experiences, or else give up on contraception completely. And they know fertility awareness can be a highly effective option, so long as you know what you're doing and can handle your fertile time.
I'd hope they don't claim it's too complicated, or too much work. It takes a bit of getting used to, and a supportive partner, but it's not a massive deal.
Check if fertility awareness is right for you
Refs and reading
- Understanding Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: An In-Depth Investigation into Sub-Dermal Contraceptive Implant Removal Amongst Young Women in London
- Don't panic about the pill - it's safer than driving to work
- Evidence based medicine - a movement in crisis? BMJ 2014;348:g3725
- Sweetening the pill - book about the way we are sold the pill and other hormonal methods.