Bayer Healthcare Brings Awareness to Local Medical Practitioners and Citizens for World Contraception Day 2012

Thursday September 27 2012: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - World Contraception Day (WCD) was observed worldwide on September 26, and Caribbean gynaecologists marked the event by meeting here in Trinidad to learn about options and best practices in the use of contraceptives.

That meeting takes place on September 27 and will be led by Dr. Philip Smits of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, a WCD sponsor. Dr. Smits will share information with regional doctors on the benefits to women of contraceptive use, the new methods now used, and the indications and contraindications for contraceptive use.

According to the WCD website www.your-life.com, the vision of this global campaign is the creation of a world where every pregnancy is wanted. Its mission is to improve awareness of contraception to enable young people to make informed decisions on sexual and reproductive health. WCD, which is held on September 26 every year, focuses on the need to encourage young people to exercise their right to search for accurate, unbiased information about contraception to prevent an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease.

The need for dissemination of accurate information about contraception remains strong, according to the WCD organizers, as many myths about the use of contraception remain.

Among the myths that prevail are the following: The pill is not safe and it produces birth defects; longterm use of the pill can affect fertility; all contraceptive pills are basically the same; the pill produces cancer; women over 35 cannot use the pill; women who smoke cannot take the pill; the regular use of the morning after pill is a good contraceptive method.

Though contraceptive use does carry some risks, data show that there are several benefits to using contraceptives that include but are not limited to preventing unwanted pregnancy.

WCD is supported by a coalition of 11 international NGOs, scientific and medical societies with an interest in sexual and reproductive health.

ENDS