It is estimated that 50% of all pregnancies occurring in Ireland are unplanned. Don’t become a statistic. These days there are so many contraceptives available, the right one is out there for you. Up until 20 or 30 years ago, there was a real difficulty in getting contraceptives. Couples would have to get a prescription for condoms! Now, with so many different types available, it is so much easier to avoid crisis pregnancies.
One of the most popular types of contraception is the Pill. When taken correctly, it is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. More than one in four Irish women have taken the pill at some point. However, a recent study shows that women forget to take it on average once every two or three months. It can be easy to forget such a small thing, but the consequences can be huge!
Fear not though, SafeText.ie was set up in 2009 by two students who realised how many of us young ladies forgot to take their pill on a regular basis.
What SafeText does is quite simple. You sign up to their website www.safetext.ie by registering your name and mobile number. You can then set your own cycle, ie: the day you start your new packet of the pill. And it’s up to you to decide when you get a reminder each day to tell you when to take your pill. So if it’s convenient during the morning, set it for then etc. The service is free for the first two cycles (the first two months), and if you get friends involved, it will remain free. Other than that it costs just €6 for 6 cycles. (It’s a lot cheaper than a baby)
This service is perfect for any woman, student or not. So many of us are so busy that something like taking a pill everyday can be so easily forgotten. If you are one of the 250,000 Irish women taking the pill, the give safetext.ie a shot. Missing a pill can cause so much un-needed stress. In 2010 4,402 women travelled to abortion clinics in England and Wales. Don’t add to this number. It’s so easily avoided with all the contraceptives, and even reminders about contraceptives like safetext.ie.
It’s not the 1950’s anymore. It’s your body and you have control over what happens to it.
For more info the wide range of contraception available go to you GP or visit www.wellwomancentre.ie or drop into one of their clinics in Dublin on Capel St, Ballsbridge, and around the country.
What do you think of safe text, will it help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies ?
Image: Wikimedia Commons
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