Morning-after pill 'should be given over the counter'

THE Government should make emergency contraception available over the counter to help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) urged yesterday.

Currently, women have to see a GP or visit a family planning clinic if they want emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, which has been deregulated in other European countries.

The CPA also wants general contraceptives to be made available free of charge in a bid to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies. The agency made its case as new research showed a high level of sexual risk-taking among 18 to 25-year-olds.

The study shows younger people are less likely to consistently use contraception compared to other age groups. Six in ten young people said sex was unplanned and/or they were drinking alcohol or taking drugs. One in 10 said they had not used contraception the last time they had sex, even though they did not want to be pregnant.

The study of 3,317 men and women also found the most common form of contraceptives used are condoms (55%) and the pill (38%).

The research also found one-in-three women who have been pregnant, have experienced a crisis pregnancy and 15% opted for an abortion.

Agency director Sharon Foley said the research showed contraceptive use was particularly low in women seeking abortions, with one in three taking preventative measures.

"More effective contraceptive use, when accompanied by education and accessible contraceptive services, will mean fewer crisis pregnancies and therefore fewer abortions," Ms Foley said.

The research also showed up to three-in-10 teenagers are sexually active. There was consistent evidence that providing sex and contraceptive education within school does not lead to increased sexual activity or crisis pregnancies.

New abortion statistics also show a rise in the number of teenagers travelling to Britain for an abortion. In 2002, 6,522 women travelled for an abortion - down 151 on the previous year. Fifty six were under 16 years; 245 were aged between 16 and 17 and 615 were aged between 18 and 19. Women in their early to mid 20s made up the largest group at 2,258 while 1,604 were aged between 25 and 29 years.

CPA chairperson Olive Braiden said up to 80% of abortions are to single women with the highest abortion rate among 20 to 24 year olds and those over 40 years. Around 20% of conceptions within these two age groups end in abortion. She added that the number of births to teenagers in Ireland - 2,803 last year - had remained relatively stable over the last three decades.

Progressive Democrats TD Fiona O'Malley said the agency's recommendations on the availability of contraceptives must be acted on.

"There is little point in the Government establishing an agency if it is not prepared to act on its findings," she said.

The CPA is also involved in developing a new advertising campaign aimed at the 18 to 24 age group on the issue of safer sex and pregnancy prevention.

Its current advertising campaign - Positive Options, which promotes crisis pregnancy services - led to it receiving over 77,000 text requests last year.