Hi All,
It is worth noting that you are much more likely to die in a car accident
than to die of pregnancy related problems!! ... I get so tired of fear-based
emotional manipulation so this may be a statistic worth remembering...?
Leanne.
Putting reproductive risks in perspective
Issue 10: 8 May 2006
Source: Contraception 2006; 73: 437-9
A new editorial has highlighted the importance of putting reproductive
health risks into the correct perspective in discussions with women about
contraception.
The US authors, from Princeton Universitys Office of Population Research
and from the Washington-based Association of Reproductive Health
Professionals, say this is necessary in order to counter the often dramatic
and sensationalized headlines about womens health in the media.
In their editorial for the latest issue of the journal Contraception, the
authors write: As sensationalized news reporting becomes more common, and
thoughtful analysis becomes more difficult to find, given its perceived lack
of appeal to media observers, healthcare practitioners must intensify
efforts fully and repeatedly to inform patients of their true risks of death
from various contraceptive methods.
They say that alarmist, misleading, inaccurate or incomplete media
coverage of health risks is a source of confusion to women. In the
editorial, the authors provide a brief summary of the mortality risks
associated with pregnancy, combined oral contraceptives, the contraceptive
patch, and abortion.
This summary includes a detailed table of published mortality risks
associated with everyday activities.
For example, the authors cite data suggesting that the overall risk of death
from pregnancy and delivery is about 1 in 8,700.
They point out that this risk is lower than the annual risk of death from a
vehicle accident (1 in 5,000), but is much higher than the annual risk of
death from use of combined oral contraceptives for most women (mortality
risks ranging from 1 in 33,300 to 1 in 1,667,000 depending on age and
smoking status) except those aged 35-44 years who also smoke (a mortality
risk of 1 in 5,200).
The authors conclude that women are far more likely to die from
pregnancy-related complications, from vehicle accidents, or from a fall
(annual mortality risk 1 in 20,000), than they are from using hormonal
contraception, for example.
They add: Those who claim that hormonal contraception and abortion are
unsafe base this assertion on ideology, not evidence-based science.
Leanne Wynne
Midwife in charge of "Women's Business"
Mildura Aboriginal Health Service Mob 0418 371862
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