One in three millennial women pill users forget to take their pill at least once per cycle
TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2014 /CNW/ - Canadian women have come a long way since Margaret Sanger coined the term 'birth control' 100 years ago, with a recent survey revealing 56 per cent of millennial women, aged 18 to 34, who take the birth control pill use their mobile phone or an app to remember to take their birth control pill. The tech trend is not surprising when you consider that nearly a third of pill users surveyed (33 per cent) say they miss a pill each cycle. The survey, released in time for World Contraception Day by Bayer HealthCare also showed that 71 per cent said they would likely consider a birth control option that didn't require a daily, weekly or monthly routine.
"Women have never been busier than they are today," said Dr. Christine Palmay, physician and women's health expert. "That's why they're turning to new technologies like apps to help them remember to take their birth control pills. What it says to me is that they should also consider an option that frees them from the burden of having to remember a daily routine at all."
World Contraception Day, which kicks off Friday September 26th, is a worldwide campaign with a vision for a world where every pregnancy is wanted. Previous studies have shown that in Canada, one third of women do not use contraception consistently. On average, oral contraceptive users miss 2.6 pills per cycle. Interestingly, the survey found that effectiveness of birth control was the factor considered most when choosing birth control with 70 per cent of millennial women saying it was a consideration.
"What we're seeing is a disconnect between what millennials are looking for in their birth control and what they're actually using," said Dr. Palmay. "There's a clear desire for a low maintenance method and I'm just starting to see demand increase for long-term options like the intrauterine system, which take away the element of human error because women don't need to remember to take a pill everyday."
Alternative contraception methods to The Pill methods like the intrauterine system (IUS) are starting to rise in popularity. Although the survey showed that 91 per cent of millennial women have never used the IUS – it remains one of the most effective forms of birth control available with a more than 99% efficacy rate.
A new IUS, Jaydess, gives young women another option when it comes to contraception. "Women want to feel empowered to take control of their bodies and focus on their careers," added Dr. Palmay. "Jaydess is approved for the prevention of pregnancy for up to three years and means that women can focus on achieving their goals without the stress of an unplanned pregnancy."
Key Survey Findings
About the Survey
From September 5th to September 8th, 2014 an online survey was conducted among 1,004 randomly selected Canadian women aged 18-30 who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to region of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
About Jaydessi
Jaydess is an intrauterine system (IUS) approved by Health Canada for the prevention of pregnancy (contraception) for up to three years. Jaydess consists of a small, white, T-shaped frame made from soft, flexible plastic with a reservoir that contains a total of 13.5 mg of levonorgestrel released slowly and continuously into the uterus over three years.
Side effects with Jaydess are more common during the first months after insertion; they gradually decrease over time.
Very common side effects include: headache, abdominal/pelvic pain, acne/oily skin, bleeding changes including increased and decreased menstrual bleeding, spotting, oligomenorrhea (infrequent periods) and amenorrhea (absence of bleeding), ovarian cysts and vulvovaginitis (inflammation of the external genital organs or vagina).
Common side effects include: depressed mood/depression, migraine, nausea, alopecia (hair loss), upper genital tract infection, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), breast pain/discomfort, device expulsion (complete and partial), and genital discharge.
There is an increased risk for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the first three weeks after the insertion of an IUS or device.
Ectopic pregnancy (development of a fertilized egg outside the uterus) is possible when using Jaydess, as it is in women using no contraception. However, if a woman accidently becomes pregnant while using Jaydess, an ectopic pregnancy is more likely. Ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition. Therefore, she should tell her doctor if she has lower abdominal pain, especially if she has missed a period and/or has unexpected bleeding, since these can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy.
In rare cases (occurring at a rate of 1/1,000 and 1/10,000), and most often occurring during insertion, Jaydess may penetrate or perforate (punch a hole) in the wall of the uterus. If this happens, Jaydess must be removed. The risk of perforation is higher (occurring at a rate of between 1/100 and 1/1,000) in women who are breastfeeding at the time of Jaydess insertion and/or when Jaydess is inserted up to 36 weeks after delivery. The risk of perforation may be increased in women with an abnormally shaped uterus or with the uterus leaning backwards.
It is unlikely, but possible that Jaydess can come out either completely or partially. An unusual increase in the amount of bleeding during the woman's period might be a sign that this has happened. If the woman thinks that Jaydess has come out, she should use another method of nonhormonal contraception until she sees her doctor.
Hormonal contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. For protection against STIs, it is advisable to use condoms in combination with Jaydess. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels. Women should be counseled not to smoke.
About Bayer in Canada
Bayer Inc. is a Canadian subsidiary of Bayer AG and the corporate headquarters for the Canadian operations. Founded in 1863, Bayer AG is an international research-based group with core businesses in healthcare, crop science and innovative materials committed to creating a better life for all through science.
In Canada, Bayer operates its healthcare business – Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, Animal Health and Radiology & Interventional – from its headquarters in Toronto, ON, and Bayer CropScience Inc. operates out of its head office in Calgary, AB. Together with its material science business, Bayer improves the quality of life for Canadians through products that fight disease, protect crops and animals, and provide high-performance materials for numerous daily life uses.
With more than 1,300 employees across the country, in 2013, Bayer had sales of $1.6 billion and invested $61 million in research and development in Canada. Globally, Bayer AG had sales of €40.2 billion and invested €3.2 billion in research and development.
For more information about Bayer, please visit www.bayer.ca.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
__________________________________________
iJaydess Product Monograph, Bayer Inc., August 15, 2014
Image with caption: "INFOGRAPHIC: Canadian Contraception - 100 Years of Birth Control (CNW Group/Bayer HealthCare)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140923_C2124_PHOTO_EN_5888.jpg
SOURCE: Bayer HealthCare
Shelley Thomas, Narrative PR, 416-357-7829, [email protected]; Emily Hanft, Bayer Inc., 416-240-5466, [email protected]
Share this article