PRESS RELEASE

Free Contraception a Bad Idea

There have been calls from Rotorua youth doctor, Tania Pinfold for free and easily accessible contraception in order to reduce unintended pregnancies. ALRANZ supports this idea, along with more education programmes. In this way, it is believed the abortion rate, in particular among youth, would decline.

"While Family Life International NZ is fully for an end to all abortions, we do not believe the way to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies is through free contraception and increased sex education" said Mrs Colleen Bayer, National Director.

In 2010 just under half of all abortions were carried out on women and girls who had been using some form of contraception. ALRANZ and other abortion supporters know this and so they are working hard to promote long-acting contraception among women and youth, using such devices as "Jadelle", a second generation implant banned in countries like the United States.

"But those who are promoting free and accesible contraception are not really being pro-woman. If they were they would realise the use of such contraceptive devices as Jadelle, Depo Provera and the IUD, only serves to promote riskier sexual behaviour in the targetted under 25 year old group, and increases the chances of them contracting sexually transmitted infections." Colleen said. "There is also the issue of hormones floating around a women's body for such an extended period of time and the side effects that will have on them."

Combining free contraception with more sex education in this under 25 year old group will only serve to increase sexual behaviour. Many a study has shown that graphic sex education with the underlying belief that teenagers will engage in sexual intercourse anyway, increases the likelihood of both male and female students engaging in earlier sexual behaviour.

Family Life International NZ provides a service to those who find themselves experiencing an unintended pregnancy. Through our Family Life Crisis Pregnancy Centre we offer women and girls factual information regarding their pregnancy. We discuss the options of parenting, adoption and abortion thoroughly and accurately. "We find that most abortion-minded women who come to us are really seeking solutions for the situations they find themselves in, not an end to the pregnancy per se." said Colleen.

"We encourage women to have self-respect and to take charge of their lives, to make something of themselves. And we offer them the support they need to do that. This I believe is the real long-term answer to lowering the abortion rate. Not pumping females with chemicals and treating their fertility as a disease." concluded Colleen Bayer.

ENDS

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