World Population Awareness

A century ago, women feared dying in childbirth and yet could do little to control conception. The Comstock laws clamped down on freedom of information by making it a crime to send "obscene" material through the mail, including birth control information and devices. In 1916, Margaret Sanger was arrested for distributing diaphragms. In the 10 days her Brooklyn clinic was open, she fitted 488 women with diaphragms, an indication of women's unmet need to control pregnancy. Legal abortion wasn't even on the agenda.

Galen Patents Chewable Contraceptive Pill

Galen Holdings, the Northern Irish pharmaceutical company, has been granted a patent for its chewable contraceptive pill. Spearmint-flavoured, the tablet will be the first ever chewable contraceptive.
It should be available in the US in the spring. The tablet will eventually replace the company's Ovcon tablet but there is no plan to sell it in Britain. Galen is working on a deal with Barr of the US that would give Barr the rights to Galen's other oral contraceptives, Loestrin and Loestrin (R) FE. Galen concentrates especially on new methods of contraception. It has recently launched an intra-vaginal ring that delivers contraceptive drugs. rw

Female Condoms Make Their Debut in India

A condom for women was launched in the Indian market as the result of a joint effort by the Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) and Britain-based Female Health Company (FHC). The product is a strong, soft, transparent 17-centimetre polyurethane sheath inserted in the vagina before sexual intercourse. It protects the vagina and cervix. It is odourless, stronger than latex and can be used with water-based and oil-based lubricants. rw

U.S. Population Landmarks

1915 - Margaret Sanger brought the diaphragm from the Netherlands to the U.S. It was the first truly effective birth control device under the control of women.

1916 - Margaret Sanger organized the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1921 she founded the American Birth Control League which later became the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

1925 - Sanger's second husband financed the first manufacturing of the diaphragm in the U.S.

1950 - The U.S. population was 150 million.

1954 - The Hugh Moore Fund first used the term "population bomb" on their published pamphlet. He was a philanthropist from Pennsylvania. His mantra was "Your cause is a lost cause unless you support family planning."

1960 - The "pill" was invented and became available to women for contraception.

1965 - Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act, ending four decades of restricted immigration. This law, while removing limits based on country of origin, included provisions for family reunification, opening the door to "chain migration."

1965 - The U.S. Supreme Court decision of Buxton and Griswold vs. Conn. legalized birth control for married couples offering "privacy of the bedroom."

1967 - U.S. population reached 200 million.

1968 - The Population Bomb, by Paul R. Ehrlich was published by the Sierra Club. This book laid the foundation for widespread concern about population growth among environmentalists and others that followed in the early years of the 1970's.

1968 - The organization Zero Population Growth (ZPG) was formed. There were dozens of local chapters throughout the country. ZPG later became Population Connection, with a focus on world population.

1970 - Earth Day was declared with population growth a major issue on the agenda. Dr. Mary Steichen Calderon, past medical director of the PPFA, established the Sex, Information and Education Council (SIECUS).

1972 - The Commission on Population and the American Future report, chaired by John D. Rockefeller III, stated "We have looked for, and have not found, any convincing economic argument for continued population growth. The health of our economy does not depend upon it, nor does the vitality of business, nor the welfare of the average person." President Richard Nixon supported this and the National Security Study Memorandum 200 on population, both of which were defeated by Congress.

1972 - The Limits to Growth, is published by the Club of Rome. The book modeled the consequences of a rapidly growing population and finite resource supplies. The book was updated in 1993 and in 2004 under the name Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update. In 1996 one of the authors, Donella Meadows, founded the Sustainability Institute in Hartland, Vt.

1973 - The U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade affirmed a women's the right to abortion.

Oregon Women to Get Birth Control in Cyberspace

Oregon women can obtain contraceptives via the Internet. The service is limited to women who have a credit card and access to a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader. It requires a $35 fee, filling out a questionnaire and talking by phone with a nurse. Women seeking a prescription have had to go to a doctor and get a checkup. It is hoped that online availability will lead to a higher rate of birth control use by young, sexually active women and a lower rate of abortions. The online option will give women in rural areas a more convenient way of obtaining birth control. To participate, women must first review information on birth control, accept a consent form and fill out a questionnaire online. Then a nurse follows up by telephone. Women with health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a history of cardiovascular problems, may be ineligible. To get refills patients must submit a blood-pressure reading within normal range. Refills, with another $35 fee, can be for one to 10 months. The price for a two-month supply ranges from $28 to $40 if they're purchased from Planned Parenthood and more if they're picked up at a pharmacy. rw

U.S. Population Growth and Its Effects on Our Environment Must Be Addressed, Experts Say

The top-priority campaigns of the nation's big environmental groups emphasize animals, pollution and global warming.

What's missing are initiatives that tackle U.S. population growth.

The environmental establishment has abandoned talking about the nation's growing populace, particularly as it relates to immigration. The debate centers on economics and national security.

The US population has nearly doubled since 1950, and is expected to hit 300 million in October.

The link between population and the country's environmental capacity, its water supply, farmland, fisheries and other natural resources, is getting more attention from groups that aren't among the names in environmentalism.

The scientific data shows that the U.S. is reaching many of the nation's ecological limits, and that many are linked to population trends. It's a shame that environmentalists haven't found a way to get involved in a prominent way. Countries in Europe, with Russia and Japan, have shrinking populations because births aren't keeping pace with deaths.

America's relatively high population growth and high rates of consumption and pollution make result in the largest environmental impact per capita.

Americans occupy about 20% more developed land per capita for housing, schools, shopping, roads and other uses than they did 20 years ago, partly because the average number of people per household has dropped while the average size of homes has swelled. About 40% of the nation's rivers and 46% of its lakes are too polluted for fishing and swimming. Wetlands are shrinking by 100,000 acres a year, mainly because of development.

More than half the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of the coast, and can damage seaside ecosystems.

There's no universally accepted estimate of how many people the nation can accommodate.

The number is ultimately a question of balancing quality and quantity.

Technological advances that help clean the air, conserve water and grow more food on less farmland have helped to mitigate or delay predicted population-induced disasters.

Last year, one of every five immigrants worldwide lived in the United States. The National Audubon Society supports international family planning while taking no position on U.S. immigration. Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council largely stay out of domestic immigration issues, though neither explain why.

Sorting out the ecological costs and benefits of immigration and population growth can be enormously complex and has led some environmentalists to say their groups should stick with saving species, curbing pollution and preserving open space.

Aggressively advocating birth control or abortion rights could alienate church groups. The U.S. population grew by 14.9 million between April 2000 and July 2005. Immigration accounted for more than 42%.

Immigrants also play a key role in population growth once they arrive in the United tates.

A 2005 report found that there was an annual average of 84 births per 1,000 foreign-born women in the U.S., compared with 57 births per 1,000 native U.S. women.

The US has 12 million unauthorized immigrants. About 3 million of them, mostly from Mexico, live in California. rw

A Guide to Contraception

Australia: Evidence Shows RU486 May Be Safer Than Surgical Abortion

The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is backing an effective ban on the pill RU486 to be lifted. The drug should be made available to Australian women. The evidence suggests it may be safer than surgical termination of pregnancy. John Howard signalled he would offer Liberal MPs a conscience vote on the issue. In Australia, women wanting to use RU486 have to apply through their doctor for government approval. The Australian Democrats plan to move an amendment which would remove Mr Abbott's powers to grant approval for the drug's use. Mr Abbott has cited health department advice which warned it could be dangerous for women in rural and remote areas because its use requires medical supervision and access to emergency care. But that advice has been discredited by experts. The first decision a woman makes is whether or not she wishes to have a termination of pregnancy and why she would prefer a surgical or a medical termination. Practitioners would have good evidence so they could discuss that with the woman so she can make an informed decision. rw

U.S.: After 2 More Deaths, Planned Parenthood Alters Method for Abortion Pill

Planned Parenthood announced that it would change the way it gives RU-486, or Mifeprex. The F.D.A. has received reports that six women in the US died after taking the pills, and a seventh died in Canada. The previous four resulted from infections with Clostridium sordellii. One of the two recent deaths occurred within days of the victim's undergoing a pill-based abortion, while the other woman died within five weeks. Mifeprex has been used in more than 560,000 medical abortions in the US and more than 1.5 million in Europe. The risks of death after using the pill are similar to the risks after surgical abortions or childbirth. When Mifeprex was approved in 2000, the standard regimen was to give the drug in a doctor's office followed two days later by an oral dose of a different drug, misoprostol, also in a doctor's office. Women expelled the fetus over the following days or weeks in a process that mimicked a miscarriage. The procedure must begin within 49 days of conception. Soon after Mifeprex's approval, most doctors instructed women to insert misoprostol vaginally at home two to three days after taking Mifeprex. But this regimen was not approved by the drug agency. As reports of deaths trickled into the F.D.A., officials issued warnings that doctors should stick to the approved regimen but until Friday, Planned Parenthood had rejected those warnings. Patients would still be asked to take the second drug orally at home. The drug agency said it was "investigating all the circumstances associated with these cases." The agency repeated that women who undergo pill-based abortions should be vigilant for signs of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and weakness with or without abdominal pain and they should be given antibiotics. Doctors may not associate a death with a pill-based abortion, especially if the death occurs weeks later. The risk of infections could be eliminated if abortion patients were given antibiotics as a preventative. But officials say that the risk of infection from Clostridium sordellii is so slight that it does not merit such a precaution. rw

Scientists Will Gather to Discuss Safety of Abortion Pill

Worried about a bacterial infection that led to the deaths of at least five women who took the abortion pill RU-486, scientists from the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health will consider whether the means of administering abortion drugs make pregnant women more susceptible to the bacterium Clostridium sordellii and whether the deaths signal the emergence of a more virulent strain of the bacterium. The five deaths were from infection by Clostridium sordellii, which can induce toxic shock. The cause of a sixth death has not been announced. Clostridium sordellii infections are rare, but pregnancy appears to increase the risks. Abortion experts have been at a loss to explain why four of the deaths occurred in California. Tests had found no evidence of contamination of the pills .

Another theory concerned the role a dry climate might play. Some experts believe that pregnant women who take RU-486 with another drug, misoprostol, are more vulnerable to infection. The pill causes uterine contractions that expel the dead fetus.

The F.D.A. in 2000 approved a protocol that requires women to take misoprostol orally. But abortion providers have instructed women to insert misoprostol vaginally and some scientists say the vaginal insertion may introduce bacteria.

In 2004, the F.D.A. put strong warnings regarding the risks of infection on RU-486 labels but is not considering further restrictions.

The National Abortion Federation's insurer insisted that its clinics use the F.D.A. protocol when providing abortion drugs. In the US some abortion doctors have decided against using RU-486 altogether.

Until March, Planned Parenthood, continued to instruct its doctors to give misoprostol vaginally, but with the sixth death, the organization now uses an oral protocol. The risk of death with pill-based abortions now appears to be about 10 times that of surgical abortions.

RU-486 might make women more susceptible to Clostridium sordellii because the drug may inhibit mechanisms that moderate immunity.

The oral administration of misoprostol is more common in Europe, but vaginal use has been growing.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which provides 25% of all abortions in Britain, said her agency relied on vaginal drug insertion.

Clinics in Sweden and Hong Kong do the same, and vaginal use is growing in France. rw

U.S.: HHS Moves to Define Contraception as Abortion

The Department of Health and Human Services released a proposal that allows any federal grant recipient to obstruct a woman's access to contraception. It is attempting to redefine the birth control, which 40% of Americans use, as abortion. This would protect extremists. The proposed laws prohibit federal grant recipients from requiring employees to help provide or refer for abortion services.

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy and there are two views on when a pregnancy begins. Some consider it begins at the fertilization of the egg by the sperm, while others consider it to begin when the embryo implants in the lining of the uterus. About 49% of Americans believe that human life begins at conception and think that any action that destroys human life after conception is abortion. Those who believe pregnancy begins at implantation believe abortion only includes the destruction of a human being after it has implanted.

Some medical authorities have defined the term "established pregnancy" as occurring after implantation. Others present different definitions. For example, pregnancy is "the state of a female after conception and until the termination of the gestation." or "the condition of having a developing embryo or fetus in the body, after union of an oocyte and spermatozoon".

Up until now, the federal government followed the definition of pregnancy as: pregnancy begins at implantation. It now claims that pregnancy begins at some biologically unknowable moment and there would be no way for a woman to prove she's not pregnant. Thus, any woman could be denied contraception.

There is no scientific evidence that hormonal methods of birth control can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb. This argument is the basis upon which the religious right hopes to include the 40% of the birth control methods Americans use, under "abortion." In 1999, the physicians released an open letter stating: "Some special interest groups have claimed that some methods of contraception may have an abortifacient effect. It is speculation, and if a family, decides to use this modality, we are confident that they are not using an abortifacient."

The absence of evidence does not slow anti-abortion attempts to classify hormonal contraception as abortion. Because the statutes seek, in part, to protect the conscience of the individual or institution within the bounds of reason. Both definitions of pregnancy are reasonable. The Department proposes to allow individuals and institutions to adhere to their own views. So HHS proposes that anyone can enforce his or her own definition of abortion "within the bounds of reason." This new rule establishes a legal precedent that may be used as a basis for banning the most popular forms of birth control with abortion. rw

Study: Home-Administered Misoprostol Safe Abortion Option for Women Up to 63 Days Pregnant

Swedish researchers conclude that taking misoprostol at home as part of a medical abortion regimen is a safe option for women who are 50 to 63 days pregnant. In the U.S., women have been permitted to take physician- prescribed misoprostol at home since 2000.

Mifepristone -- the first drug in the medical abortion regimen, which is taken three to four days prior to misoprostol -- is administered at a clinic, physician's office or hospital. Most European countries require that women take both drugs in a clinic, doctor's office or hospital.

Among women who were fewer than 50 days pregnant, 199 experienced complete abortions, while 186 of the women who were between 50 and 63 days pregnant experienced complete abortions. Ten women required surgery. About six in 10 women needed extra pain medication. rw

Australian Researchers Successfully Test Hormone Combination That Suppresses Sperm Production

Australian researchers have successfully tested hormone injections to suppress sperm production. In 55 male-female couples the men received testosterone every four months and progestin every three months given by injection. None of women became pregnant, there were no serious side effects and normal fertility returned in a few months. The hormones turn off sperm production, but also shut down men's testosterone production, so they need to be given extra doses to maintain health and sex drive. This will lead to a single injection contraceptive taken on a three-to-four monthly basis. Schering and Dutch-based Organon announced they will begin a Phase II trial for an experimental male oral contraceptive that combines testosterone injections and a progestin implant injected under the skin once every three or four months. There will be a product to market in about five years. rw

Kiwi Men a Cut Above Rest

19.3% of Kiwi men use a vasectomy compared to 14.4% of women who are sterilised, while 20.5% of married women use the pill. In the Netherlands 10.5% of men and 4.8% of women are sterilised, in the UK 12% and 11% respectively. Bhutan had the fewest female sterilisations at 3.1% and 13.5% of men had a vasectomy. Sterilisation was the world's most widely used contraceptive method with about one in four couples. New Zealand men are family orientated and have realised this is something they can do. rw

Schering, Organon Trial Male Pill

German drug maker Schering and Dutch company Organon starting Phase 2 trials on a combined implant and injection that could be a step towards the "male pill". Schering said trials would be completed by December 2005 and the drug could come on to the market in 5-7 years. Schering and Organon admit that the potential size of the market, and sales forecasts, are impossible to assess. rw

U.S.: Many Men Prefer STDs to Condom Use

Two-thirds of men with a primary sexual partner and one-third of those without a primary partner said they don't use condoms consistently. Even after seeking treatment for a sexually transmitted infection and acknowledging the protective value of condoms, many men refuse to use them. Men in intimate relationships were the least likely to use a condom regularly. Those with the least confidence in using condoms with a main partner wanted their partner to know that they were committed to the relationship. Men with no steady sexual partner or who used drugs and alcohol were the least likely to use condoms. rw

Scotland: Men Reluctant to Participate in Male Pill Trial

A male contraceptive pill may have to be shelved before clinical trials are complete from a lack of volunteers. The contraceptive combines an implant and injections to lower sperm production temporarily. The implant was 'virtually free' of side effects, but no one knew what the consequences of long term use would be. There's a strong idea that women should suffer in the service of preventing pregnancy. The Family Planning Association (FPA) said that men would take the pill once it was available. A study of Scottish women suggested they would trust a man if he said he was taking contraception. 90% of women thought a male pill a good idea, 65% felt the responsibility for contraception falls too much on women. rw

Uganda: Men Shun Vasectomy

Kampala providers at Mulago hospital are disappointed at men's poor response to vasectomy that accounted for less than 5% of family planning. Some men had a vasectomy without the consent of their wives, who continued trying to conceive and some men have demanded reversal which is impossible. The major limitation was that men were not aware of its availability and had misconceptions about its effects. The Ministry of Health has to increase publicity through electronic media, train more counsellors and introduce outreach programs. Vasectomy cannot be marketed like the pill or the condom - it can only be through health centres distributing reading materials and training health workers to provide counselling. However the Ministry of Health did not have enough resources. rw

India: Chinese Family Planning Method Getting Popular in Himachal

A Chinese method of family planning not involving surgery is gaining popularity in Himachal Pradesh with new training centres for doctors. The technique involves a hook to seal the male vein carrying semen and no stitches are needed. It has evoked good response at several state-run hospitals. Two centres for training doctors in the vasectomy technique are being set up in Chamba and Kullu towns. rw

Quinicrine for Sterilization

U.S. Government Says Study on Birth Control Pill's Benefits was Flawed

A study concluding that birth control pills slightly lowered the risk of heart disease has been called flawed by federal officials who say it wasn't properly reviewed. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute said these analyses hadn't been properly reviewed, and a new analysis determined that the heart findings were flawed and they could not find a relationship. The breast cancer findings also are suspect now, she said. The research is best known for its finding that taking hormones after menopause raised the risk of certain cancers and heart problems. It relies on women's memories of drugs they used in previous years rather than actual records. Previous studies that were scientifically sound have found that pill-users have a small increased risk of blood clots, heart attacks and stroke. Pill users reported a 8% less risk of cardiovascular disease and 7% less risk of cancer. But those findings were not verified with medical records. Scientists want to look at the data. rw

U.S.: AMA: Doctors Should Be Able to Sell Drugs

The American Medical Association wants physicians to be able to dispense medications if a pharmacist claims a conscientious objection and balks at filling the prescription. Faced with reports pharmacists are citing conscientious objections to filling prescriptions for contraceptives and other drugs, the AMA called for state laws that would allow physicians to dispense medications when no nearby pharmacist is willing to do so. The policy would affect rural areas where no pharmacist can be found within a 30-mile radius. The new policy is an attempt to overcome a trend by pharmacists who say they cannot dispense the emergency contraception pill, birth control pills; drugs used to treat psychiatric illnesses; and, often, pain medications. Not only are the patients not getting prescriptions filled, but pharmacists are refusing to return the prescriptions and lecturing the patients about the drugs. The Pharmacists Association recognizes an individual pharmacist's right to exercise conscientious refusal and supports systems to ensure patient access to legally prescribed therapy. Physicians say that means pharmacists must refer patients to other pharmacists who are willing to fill the prescriptions. The Pharmacists Association said it has not received any complaints about pharmacists refusing to refer patients or refusing to return prescriptions. The pharmacist organization has no mechanism to censure pharmacists who refuse to refer patients or refuse to return prescriptions. rw

Burning Bras? It's the Pill That Gave Women Freedom

The availability of birth control pills and liberal abortion laws have had the greatest impact by far on women's lives in recent years. A new study by researchers at the London School of Economics, which collected data from 45,000 women in Britain and 11 other European countries, indicates that the birth control pill, which became available to married women in 1961, has enabled women to stay in school longer, get better paying jobs and derive better satisfaction from life.

The study found that other items on the feminist agenda, such as parity in divorce laws and better maternity leave policies, had minimal, or in the case of divorce, a negative impact on women's lives. But the benefits of birth control and legal abortions for women have been on a par with substantial pay rises.

Anti-abortion advocates have maintained that while these benefits have indeed accrued to women, their extension to teenagers and younger women have resulted in loose morals and lower birth rates, without the same economic advantage that is deemed vital for the woman who has entered the workforce.

Birth Control: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

On the heels of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendation that birth control be covered by all insurance plans, and without co-payment, the author reviewed Janet Farrell Brodie's fascinating Contraception and Abortion in Nineteenth-Century America.

In antebellum America,there were tracts like Charles Knowlton's "Fruits of Philosophy or the Private Companion of Young Married People" (contained a summary of what was then known about the physiology of conception, listed a number of methods to treat infertility and impotence, and explained a method of birth control: to wash out the vagina after intercourse with certain chemical solutions); newspapers carried ads for medications; and douches and 'womb veils,' early forms of the diaphragm, which some women wore for years at a time.

In most states abortion before 'quickening' was legal until after the Civil War and widely practiced; abortifacient drugs were easy to find under brand names like The Samaritan's Gift for Females.

Nineteenth-century methods included withdrawal (not for everyone), reusable condoms, and douching with cold water and baking soda after intercourse. Some so-called experts got the rhythm method exactly backward. With these methods backed up by abortion, the average native-born American woman had only four in 1900 compared to eight in 1800, despite the clampdown on birth control and information by the Comstock laws of the 1870s.

Contraception is not some newfangled fad foisted by the cultural elite on decent God-fearing folk. Americans have striven to separate sex from reproduction for more than two centuries. Today 99%of women have used birth control at some point. It is lifesaving and health-preserving medicine. And yet the myth that birth control is 'controversial' persists.

How many women does it take to equal one bishop?

Calling Your Lawmaker is Also Very Effective.

Members of the Senate Telephone Directory
If you contact your lawmaker via email, make sure you include your full name and mailing address so that they can verify that you are a constituent.
You may research the matter from the links above and from WOA's Funding Page, and then come up with a letter that you can send your legislator or notes from which you can talk when you go see your representative at her/his Washington DC office or at their local office.

Birth Control Condom Campaign to Begin in Conservative Afghanistan

Population Services International (PSI) has begun to distribute in Afghanistan about 1.6 million 'Number One' condoms at the price of one Afghani (2 US cents). The project has been a success, but they face their biggest challenge when they begin a public awareness campaign. 400,000 condoms have been sold in four months but because of the cultural context they adopt an approach not to offend Afghan sensitivities. Prophylactics are available but little used and always hidden. The PSI condoms will be sold in navy packs of three with bright yellow writing devoid of sexual references. It has been difficult to translate the instructions and to design packaging which doesn't shock - for example, to use a diagram to illustrate how to put on a condom or to translate into local languages instructions issued with condoms in Western countries. PSI abandoned their slogan "Have a smaller family" as unsuitable where a woman is expected to have five or six babies. "Have a more comfortable life, make your family Number One" will be used instead. Financed by the US, the 5 million dollar programme plans to distribute female contraceptives, the pill, water purification and anti-mosquito products. With few cases of HIV/AIDS, the promotion of condoms is to encourage couples to space their children and fight against Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate, one of the highest in the world. rw

Condoms in India Find New Life as Sari Cleaners, Highway Surfaces: Only One-Quarter of Health Devices Were 'Properly Utilized,' Health Workers Say

Only 25% of more than one billion free condoms manufactured annually in India were used to combat AIDS and a soaring population. Health workers said millions were melted down and made into toys, or sold as balloons. Villagers used them as water containers to wash, after relieving themselves in the fields. India's soldiers covered their gun barrels as protection against dust. Of the 891 million condoms to be handed out, many were acquired by road contractors who mixed them with concrete and tar that renders road surfaces smooth and resistant to cracks. A large number of condoms was used to waterproof roofs. Weavers used 200,000 condoms daily to lubricate looms and to polish the gold and silver thread used to embroider saris. Condoms were purchased in bulk from agents, who acquired them from agencies in family planning and AIDS prevention. The government began distributing free condoms in the 1960s. The country's population stood at about one billion on March 1, 2001, and is forecast to reach 1.5 billion by 2035. rw

Condoms: Extra Protection

Condoms remain the only method that also can help prevent HIV that infects 110 Americans each day, at least half under 25. Concerns have evolved over older sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, because they have become resistant to the drugs used to treat them. The study evaluated 23 kinds of latex condoms and two types made of polyurethane, marketed to people allergic to latex. All latex condoms passed minimum standards but none exist for polyurethane. We found no correlation between performance and price, thickness, or the country of manufacture. Condoms are tested by inflating them until they burst and the best had no premature breakage among the 120 samples tested for each model and also averaged at least 38 liters of air. The worst broke 18 of 120 times below 25 liters. Most models met standards for length and thickness but Durex Extra Sensitive, Durex Performax, larger-size versions of TheyFit, and Trojan Magnum slightly exceeded the maximum width. There's no reason to choose spermicidal condoms as they have no benefit in preventing pregnancy, have a shorter shelf life, and may cause urinary-tract infections in young women. Nonoxynol-9 came under scrutiny when a report from the WHO warned that if used frequently, it may cause vaginal irritation and increase the risk of HIV. Some condom makers have dropped models with nonoxynol-9. In our tests, condoms labeled "ultra thin" lived up to that claim. TheyFit condoms come in 55 sizes. The Inspiral Lubricated has a raised, wraparound “seashell" tip. Two condoms had a “desensitizing" lubricant containing benzocaine to delay orgasm; another a lubricant to “warm" on contact with body fluids. Any of the top-rated latex condoms offer the best protection. Don't use condoms past their expiration date, never reuse a condom and store in a cool, dry place. Open the packet with care and use only water-based lubricants, such as Astroglide or K-Y Jelly. If you're allergic to latex buy condoms made from a synthetic material such as polyurethane; lambskin is too porous to prevent disease. For plain-language instructions on using a condom, use the Web site www.ashastd.org. rw

Don't Be Fooled: Not All Condoms Created Equally

There is a difference in the quality of condoms. Latex condoms are slightly more reliable than polyurethane. Always choose a well-known name brand and in the US, condoms should be FDA approved. Thinner condoms increase sensitivity, but may be more susceptible to breakage. Be aware that the use of oil-based lubricants break down latex condoms and place you at risk for breaks that can increase your risk for pregnancy and STDs. Use only water-based lubricants. Condoms work better when they are worn, not when they're in your wallet. They won't protect other parts of your body from infection that are exposed to sexual secretions - i.e. oral sex. The stakes are high to protect yourself from an environment that could potentially harbor infectious diseases like chlamydia, HPV, syphilis, herpes, genital warts and HIV. So, keep your head on straight in the heat of the moment and always remember, "no glove, no love." rw

New British Condom Boosts Erection, Prevents Slippage

The "condom safety device" was designed by scientists at Futura Medical in England and is expected on the market within 18 months. Around 2% of condoms slip off because men don't maintain a full erection during intercourse, resulting in unwanted pregnancies and risk of sexually transmitted infections. Around 13 billion are sold each year. The new product, named CSD500, is impregnated with a chemical in its teat, called glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), which is absorbed through the skin and causes the blood vessels in the penis to dilate. Viagra works in a similar way, but the condom was meant for men who do not suffer from impotence. Sexually healthy men can be unable to maintain an erection while wearing a condom because of the loss of sensation. The company found that 88% of condom users would buy an erection-boosting condom, and half of men who do not use prophylactics would consider doing so if it helped their erections. Futura Medical had to ensure the effect of the condom was not too strong, which might have made gaining approval more difficult. The company is developing a more powerful version for treating impotence. rw

Condoms and Toothpaste

Condoms should be viewed as ordinary as toothpaste, says Adam Glickman, owner of the Condomania stores. "People have gotten past asking, 'Isn't brushing my teeth every morning a hassle?'". Abstaining from sex is the only foolproof protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and unwanted pregnancies. But for those who choose to have sex with someone who has a chance of being infected, using a latex condom significantly reduces the risk of STD's. The Food & Drug Administration has also approved two alternatives to the latex condoms: the polyurethane condom, for those who may be allergic to latex, and the female condom.

Millions of Americans are infected with STD's every year and thousands become seriously ill or die. In one national survey, it was found that only 17% of adult heterosexuals with multiple sex partners regularly use condoms, greatly increasing their exposure to STD's. The bottom line in protection seems to be: Abstain! Stick with one partner! Use a latex condom and learn to use it corrrectly!

U.S.: F.D.A. Reports Reduced Risks With Condoms

The FDA said found that latex condoms are "highly effective" at preventing infection by H.I.V., gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and hepatitis B. Condoms seem to be less effective against genital herpes, human papillomavirus, syphilis and chancroid because lesions from these diseases may appear on skin not covered by condoms. Still, condoms provide protection against each of these diseases and the typical pregnancy rate after six months' reliance on condoms is 5.4% to 7.9%. Senator Tom Coburn, who sponsored the report, criticized its contents as the latest example where the agency has provided inaccurate information about condoms. Mr. Coburn claims that condom labels provide exaggerated reassurance that condoms protect against sexually transmitted disease. Mr. Coburn complained that the agency overstated condoms' protection against the virus that causes cervical cancer. The report discusses the risks and benefits of condoms that use as a lubricant the spermicide Nonoxynol-9. Studies suggest this may increase the risks of infection by sexually transmitted diseases because it irritates vaginal and anal skin. The report dealt only with latex condoms. rw

FDA Clears New Saliva-based Test for Determining Ovulation

TCI Optics is introducing a saliva-based test, called OvuLook to determine when women are ovulating and improve their chances of getting pregnant. The test is a reusable mini-microscope no bigger than a compact. The woman places a drop of saliva onto the device, lets it dry and pushes a button. A light stays on for 45 seconds to see the results. The OvuLook tells when ovulation is nearing which is important as a women's egg only survives 24 hours. The "ferning" pattern that appears on the device allows a women to accurately pinpoint ovulation. OvuLook is the first device of its kind to receive clearance from the FDA. Other devices which test saliva have been approved by the FDA, but with them women can't save their results to detect patterns in their cycles. TCI Optics has improvements to make based on feedback from women, before introducing the product commercially. In trials, the results showed 98% accuracy. The product will be manufactured in the Czech Republic and will be on sale in 30 to 45 days. rw

Global Gag Rule: Just Repeal it

By Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY). .. President Obama and our new Congress can place American foreign policy firmly on the side of free speech, of women's health, and family planning, which is a cornerstone of social stability, economic growth, and public health in the developing world. And we can do it easily, with no cost to the taxpayers, by repealing the "Global Gag Rule," which was enacted by Ronald Reagan in 1984 and restored by George W. Bush. The rule restricts U.S. family planning assistance from going to foreign NGOs that use funding from any other source to perform abortions; provide counseling and referral for abortion; or lobby to make abortion legal or more available in their country.

It is responsible for untold misery and, has increased the number of unintended pregnancies and put millions of women's and children's lives at risk. The Bush Administration has resisted reasonable compromise. which passed Congress with the support of pro-choice and pro-life Members, but President Bush threatened to veto all funding for international aid to prevent it from becoming law.

Few actions would benefit more people with less effort, or send signal to the world that America is prepared once again to be a leader for individual rights, personal dignity, and commonsense policy that saves lives. rw

Australia: Birth Control Experts Cast Doubts on Updated Rhythm Method

Creators of a new rhythm contraception say it is reliable, but Australian experts are not enthusiastic. Researchers at Georgetown University in the US call their version the Standard Days method. A computer model based on 7500 menstrual cycles compiled by the WHO, identified a 12-day window when a woman can become pregnant. For example, a woman who has sex on the Tuesday before the Saturday she ovulates has only a slight chance of becoming pregnant. On the Wednesday that chance is greater and so on until the Sunday after she ovulates, when she has little chance of becoming pregnant. It will work only with women whose cycles are reliably 26-32 days long which accounts for 80% of the population. The Standard Days method comes with a set of beads that allows women to chart their cycle. On day one a band is placed around the first bead and each day is moved one bead until it reaches the first of 12 white beads, which are the days the woman is fertile. In Australia, the oral contraceptive pill is the primary method of birth control, but 3% practise abstinence. Trials have shown the Standard Days' failure rate is 5% if used perfectly, but it doesn't come near other forms of contraception. The pill has a failure rate of 5% in the first year but 1% in perfect use. Condoms 14% in the first year, but 3% when used properly. But unless women are in a stable long-term, monogamous relationship, they should use condoms to protect them from sexually transmitted diseases. The rhythm method is gaining appeal, with more than 100,000 women using it but condoms are promoted in developing countries because of AIDS, gonorrhoea and syphilis. Western family planning groups are increasingly offering the Standard Method as an alternative for women wanting hormone-free, non-invasive birth control. rw

Workshop on Fertility Awareness Concludes

Participants at a two-day workshop evolved an action plan to create awareness regarding the natural method of family planning. Population has to be stabilised and the programme is to create awareness regarding the menstrual cycle of women and the fertile and non-fertile days. The target groups are couples who want to delay the first child and for spacing the second child. Coloured beads provided by the programme help women keep track of their menstrual cycle. A woman who has regular cycles between 26-32 days, the fertile period of 12 days starts from the 8th day of starting the menstrual flow to the 19th day. The method can also be used for couples who are planning to have a child. In the slum where the plan was introduced, there was an improvement in interpersonal communication between the man and woman. rw

Pakistan: Clerics Express Reservations on Use of Contraceptives

Clerics have expressed reservation on the use of contraceptives as they restrict reproduction and conflict with Islamic injunctions. Some clerics have called for separating married HIV patients from their spouses although NACP officials said it would be a social boycott of infected people. Sources said the clerics were not impressed by the NACP standpoint. Clerics said if a person committed ‘adultery' and was infected with the virus, he/she did not have the right to deceive his/her family and there were no guarantees that using contraceptives would avoid transmitting the disease. NACP observed that it was difficult to determine whether an individual was infected through sexual intercourse, a contaminated syringe or unscreened blood. The NACP prepared an information kit for the clerics, which covered HIV among young people, the diseases transfer from mother to child and HIV reduction measures. The text was revised to suit Islamic ideologies and by taking into consideration Pakistan's unique characteristics. rw

Philippines: Church Will Take Pill to Supreme Court

In an effort to block passage of a bill on reproductive health, Church supporters in the Phillapines will petition the Supreme Court to rule on whether contraceptives such as IUD and the Pill induce abortion. If they are abortion-inducing materials and chemicals, and since abortion is illegal, these contraceptives will be banned. Foreign companies who are distributing pills and other chemicals and materials will be named respondents. Businessmen said they support the move to consult the Supreme Court and propose to conduct a massive information campaign on the merits of the natural family planning method. Bishop Antonio Ledesma said about 600 couples in his 19 parishes practice natural methods. He supports the move to ask the Supreme Court to settle the abortion question and showed journalists rosary-like beads used in the Standard Days method to tell a woman's fertile and nonfertile days. rw

Rise in Use of Natural Planning

The use of natural family planning methods among Filipinos has increased despite accusations that the government is pushing for artificial family planning methods with its acceptance of millions in contraceptive donations from foreign sources. About 300,000 couples were surveyed in a door-to-door campaign and the number opting to use natural family planning methods had risen to 18% from only 0.9% in 2003. This proved the Government was not pushing for only one type of family planning method. rw

India: Birth Control Goes Herbal

Indian scientists are developing the first effective and safe herbal contraceptive pill from a 2,500-year-old medical text. The ingredients are false pepper (embelia ribes) and long pepper (piper longum) mixed with borax. It is to undergo trials on humans, and could be on the market in two to three years. In the ancient world, Europeans used herbal contraceptives. One, a plant, silphium, was over-harvested and became extinct. In its modern form, the herbal contraceptive (pippalyadi yoga) would be taken as a daily pill for three weeks each month to inhibit ovulation. Dozens of plants are mentioned in India's ancient medical texts as preventing pregnancy, including Chinese hibiscus (hibiscus rosa sinensis), a small tree native to southern India. Developing an effective and safe herbal female contraceptive would be a coup for India. With a population in excess of one billion, only 2% of females use the modern contraceptive pill. No natural birth-control products have met the standards in clinical trials and herbal products can also have harmful side-effects. Chinese scientists developed a male contraceptive pill based on the seed of the cotton plant, trials showed it lowered men's sperm but also diminished libido. rw

Canada: Museum Puts Contraception on Display

The History of Contraception Museum is the latest addition to the Dittrick Medical History Center at Case Western Reserve University. In ancient Egypt, crocodile dung was employed as a suppository before intercourse. Beaver-testicle tea was brewed by Canadian women. The collection includes some 350 intrauterine devices. The items were largely donated by medical professionals and family planning services. Dittrick is a museum and library dedicated to medical history. James Edmonson, Dittrick's chief curator, said the History of Contraception Museum "embodies social history, ethical issues, medical concerns and womens' issues. The collection also has 150 reference books. The collection shows that people have been imagining means of conception for more than 2,000 years. rw

Mule's Earwax Just Part of New Case Collection; History of Contraception Has More Than 650 Items

The History of Contraception Museum, at Case Western Reserve University presents the only collection of its kind in the world, representing the practices and products to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Exhibits go back to ancient Egypt where crocodile dung was employed as a suppository prior to intercourse, and the first-ever prescriptions for a contraceptive device (a medicated tampon). Folklore preventatives include beaver-testicle tea, weasel testicles tied to a woman's thigh, and elephant dung. There are displays of intrauterine devices and cervical caps. Condoms stretch from artistic to desperate (candy bar wrappers), not far from the corked, tubed and rubber-balled douches. The items were largely donated by medical professionals and family-planning services, or are re-creations of devices such as the amulet of mule's earwax. The Museum embodies social history, ethical issues, medical concerns and women's issues. People have been trying to devise ways to prevent conception for more than 2,000 years and transcends religions and cultures. rw

India: Achieving Family Planning Goals with 'Cycle Beads'

What the 'nasbandi' of the 70's and the family planning drives could not achieve, doctors are trying to accomplish through a simple colour-coded set of beads. Called the Standard Days Method (SDM), it uses colour beads to identify fertile and non-fertile days and plan spacing between pregnancies. The method has been developed by American researchers and is being used in nearly 25 countries. In a country like India, where 78% of pregnancies are unplanned and nearly 25% unwanted, it can serve as an inexpensive, and 95% per cent effective method of preventing pregnancy. The Indian government has included it in the Reproductive Child Health programme for expanding contraceptive choices and this simple, method should be made widely accessible. rw

Delay 'Sexual Debut' - Study: Teen Abstinence; 'Did Not Reduce Plans to Use Condoms'

Abstinence-only programs can reduce sexual activity among teens and delay their "sexual debut." A study of 662 African-American Grade 6 and 7 students from found that those taught abstinence-only were less likely to have had sexual intercourse 24 months later. Abstinence programs delay sexual debut and make teens more likely to use condoms when they do start having sex. It did not reduce intentions to use condoms, reduce beliefs about the efficacy of condoms, or decrease consistent condom use. The youngsters in the study ranged from 10 to 15; half were girls; 23% said they had sexual intercourse at least once before the study began.

The study compared abstinence-only with those put through a "safer sex" intervention that emphasized frequent condom use but makes no mention of abstinence.

Planned Parenthood has called the approach a challenge to the nation's sexual health. The Bush administration has promoted abstinence as prevention, a policy critics say ends up discouraging condom use.

But there is no logical reason that an abstinence intervention cannot be effective.

The abstinence intervention in this study promoted abstinence from vaginal, anal and oral sex until a youth would be able to handle the consequences of a sexual relationship. rw

The Childless Revolution

From the NPR show with Dick Gordon (audio stream broadcast): Imagine restaurants with no crying children, adult-only neighborhoods, a museum with no kids. These are some of the ideas that a new group is advocating. They call themselves THINKERS - T-H-I-N-K-E-R - Two Healthy Incomes No Kids Early Retirement. They're tired of being discriminated against, and inconvenienced by a society obsessed with children. They're fed up with parking spaces reserved for pregnant moms, time off work for parents, and unequal expectations at the office. With baby boomers nearing retirement, and fewer households having kids, this movement is rephrasing old questions about a woman and a man's right to choose. rw

Germany: Childless Couple Told to Try Sex

A German couple went to a fertility clinic after 8 years of marriage and found they are childless because they weren't having sex. Doctors found they were both fertile, and should have had no trouble conceiving. When asked how often they had had sex, they said: 'What do you mean?'" They were brought up in a religious environment and were unaware of the physical requirements necessary to procreate. rw

U.S.: The Only Child Stigma is Fading; More Families Are Opting to Have Just One

For generations, only children and their parents have gotten a bad rap. But research suggests only children tend to be higher achievers, they get along with their peers, they aren't spoiled or lonely or aloof. From 2003, about 20% of U.S. children under 18 had no siblings at home. The country's birth rate has been deflating since 1960. A greater proportion of women have their first children at later ages. With couples delaying marriage and childbirth and mothers remaining in the workforce, single-child families are becoming more common. rw

Infertility in Europe May Double

Infertility could double in Europe over the next decade, with obesity and sex infections adding to the problem. One in seven couples has trouble conceiving, but this could rise to one in three. Women should be offered career breaks so they could have children younger, when they are more fertile and the rise in obesity is contributing to infertility. The rise in sexually transmitted infections was likely to mean more teenage girls would suffer from blocked fallopian tubes and when these young women want to become mothers, they find they can't conceive. Both the quality and quantity of sperm appeared to be in decline. The sustainability of the population of Europe is at risk because there are too few children being born. rw

Meet the Women Who Won't Have Babies - Because They're Not Eco Friendly

When Toni terminated her pregnancy, she did so in the firm belief she was helping to save the planet.

At 27 this young woman was sterilised to "protect the planet".

Her boyfriend (now husband) presented her with a congratulations card.

Toni says "Having children is selfish. It's all about maintaining your genetic line at the expense of the planet. Every person uses more food, more water, more land, more fossil fuels, more trees and produces more rubbish, more pollution, more greenhouse gases, and adds to the problem of over-population."

Nothing in Toni's upbringing gave any clues as to the views which would shape her adult life. "No sooner had we finished our wedding cake than all our relatives started to ask when they could expect a new addition to the family.

"When I was a child, I developed a passion for the environment - I became a vegetarian when I was 15. The only person who understood how I felt was my first husband, who didn't want children either. We both wanted to save the planet - not add to the problem."

"I'd been on the Pill for five years and didn't want to take hormone-based contraception indefinitely.

"My GP said I was far too young to be sterilised, and that I was bound to change my mind one day.

"We decided my husband would have a vasectomy instead. He was 25, but the GP allowed him to go ahead.

"I found it insulting that she thought that, just because I was a woman, I'd reach a point where an urge to breed would overcome all rational thought."

"Through my job I made many friends who, like me, were more interested in trying to change society and save the planet rather than having families of our own.

"We used to say that if ever we did want children, we'd adopt, as there are so many children in need of a loving family.

But when she was 25, she discovered that despite taking the Pill, she had fallen pregnant by her boyfriend.

"I went to my doctor about having a termination, and asked if I could be sterilised at the same time.

"This time it was a male doctor. He said: 'You may not want a child, but one day you may meet a man who does'. He refused to consider it.

"After my abortion, I was more determined than ever to pursue sterilisation. I had my mother's support - she realised I wasn't going to grow out of my beliefs.

At 27, Toni moved to Brighton, where her dream of medical intervention was realised.

As Toni awaited the surgery which would destroy her fertility, she met her future husband, Ed, 38. "I liked him immediately, and I told him what I was doing because if he wanted children then he needed to know I wasn't the woman for him."

"But Ed didn't want children for the same reasons."

Ed and I married in September 2002, and have a much nicer lifestyle as a result of not having children.

"My only frustration is that other people are unable to accept my decision.

"What I consider mad are those women who ferry their children short distances in gas-guzzling cars." rw

9 Silly Things People Say When They Hear You Don't Want Kids (and Ways to Counter Them)

This is a cute article which is best to read the whole thing. Follow the link in the headline if interested.

U.S.: Congress Debates Legislation to Prevent Child Marriage

In July the Human Rights Commission held a hearing on child marriage where Melanne Verveer, the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues urged Congress to pass the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act (H.R. 2103 S. 987).

If passed, the State Department would be required to come up with a multi-year strategy to prevent child marriage and promote the empowerment of young girls who are at risk of child marriage.

Child marriage is a recognized violation of human rights, an average of 25,000 girls a day become child brides, and unless something is done to change this trend within the next 10 years, over 100 million girls in the developing world will become child brides.

Child marriage is a concern in 64 of the 182 countries that were surveyed. It is most common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These girls are often prevented from continuing their education and frequently become pregnant before they are physically capable of having a safe pregnancy. Child brides also face a significantly greater risk of domestic violence and HIV infection. Because of their unequal ages and social status, child brides are frequently unable to negotiate with their husbands about sex, contraception, and birth spacing. They often encounter difficulties in finding employment outside the home because schooling is interrupted.

The children of child brides are also victims. Their mothers often die early, or suffer life- threatening illnesses, due to pregnancy-related causes. Children born to child brides also have higher rates of low birth weights, infant mortality, and premature birth than those of children born to older mothers.

The Population Institute has sent letters to both the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urging them to take action on the legislation. rw

Who Guidance Confirms Safety of Hormonal Contraception for Women at Risk of HIV Or Living with HIV

A recent meeting of multidisciplinary experts, organized by WHO in Geneva, assessed available evidence on the use of hormonal contraceptives and HIV and concluded that women, including those at risk of or living with HIV, can safely continue to use hormonal contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.

EngenderHealth, with 70 years of experience in ensuring clients' rights and improving access to quality family planning and reproductive health services, supports the WHO guidance and reccommends to its staff that no restrictions be placed on the use of hormonal contraceptives for women at risk of HIV or living with HIV. There is insufficient evidence of an association between hormonal contraceptive use and HIV risk to warrant any change in this guidance, but they strongly advise women at high risk of HIV who are using progestogen-only injectables to use condoms and other HIV preventive measures. Furthermore, WHO stresses the need for women and couples to have access to a wide range of contraceptive methods and for further research on the relationship between hormonal contraception and HIV to be undertaken.

Women living in places hit hardest by HIV and AIDS—they are at higher risk of contracting HIV and of dying from a pregnancy-related condition.

Because the possibility of a link between hormonal contraceptives and HIV was widely covered in the media worldwide, women must be assured that their method of choice does not put them at undue risk of HIV—and that not using contraception poses the risk of an unplanned pregnancy, which carries another set of potential dangers. Access to hormonal contraceptives must continue to preserve women's health and well-being.

The ability for individuals to make informed choices and voluntary decisions, not only about family planning, but about all aspects of sexual and reproductive health, is a fundamental principle rooted in human rights and underpinning quality care. It means that a wide range of contraceptive methods is available and accessible—including long-acting and permanent options—and that women and couples are counseled about the known risks and benefits of each method.

Engaging men on the importance of sharing responsibilities for family planning and reproductive health—including encouraging them to use condoms for dual protection and to access health care services, including getting tested for HIV—is essential for preventing HIV infection and maintaining strong reproductive health.

Because some 50-85% of women living with HIV do not want to become pregnant, access to voluntary, affordable, and appropriate contraceptive information and services can help women avoid unintended pregnancies and associated health risks, including the risk of vertical transmission.

Women must have a wide choice of family planning methods - when a woman's method of choice is unavailable, she is more likely to forgo contraception altogether. Many modern methods of contraception, including long-acting and permanent methods (LA/PMs), such as the intrauterine device (IUD), are vastly underutilized in Africa, even though women and couples who have decided to space and/or limit their families could benefit greatly from using them.

Costs and Net Health Effects of Contraceptive Methods

The net impact of contraception on women's health has not been reported previously. An analysis compared 13 methods of contraception to nonuse of contraception with respect to healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The analysis applies to women of average health and fertility, from 15 to 50 years old, sexually active in a monogamous relationship. Compared with no contraception, contraceptive methods of all types result in cost savings over 2 years, ranging from US$5907 for tubal sterilization to US$9936 for vasectomy and health gains ranging from 0.088 QALYs for diaphragm to 0.147 QALYs for depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. Even in 1 year, any method other than sterilization results in financial savings and health gains. Every method of contraception dominates non use. Increasing the use of more effective methods will improve health and reduce costs. Methods that require action by the user less frequently than daily are both less costly and more effective than methods requiring action on a daily basis. rw

U.S. Health Advisers Recommend Against Setting Failure Limits on Birth Control Pills

Lower-dose pills are less effective at preventing pregnancy, but offer health benefits or fewer side effects. That has split FDA on the need to define a pregnancy or failure rate that would be too high for next-generation pills. The earliest birth control pills to win approval failed just once per 100 woman-years. Newer pills contain less estrogen and progestin and reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke and other side effects. But failure rates have climbed.

The FDA has approved pills with failure rates that exceed two pregnancies per 100 woman-years. But allowing the less pills on the market can increase the options for women and their doctors.

Most women take the pill to prevent pregnancy, others rely on them to regulate their monthly periods.

The FDA scheduled meetings to gather advice on guidelines that drug makers could follow in seeking approval for new hormonal contraceptives.

The FDA is looking at how well studies done prior to approval of new birth control pills reflected their "real-world" use. The women in clinical trials are younger, skinnier and healthier than are U.S. women on average. The more clinical trials mimic real-world use, the more confident women will be that the pills both work and are safe.

The exclusion of smokers, obese and older women from clinical trials underscores the need for follow-up studies. Nearly 12 million U.S. women were on the pill as of 2002. rw

Hormonal Contraception Use Does Not Increase Women's Risk of HIV Infection

The use of hormonal contraception does not increase women's risk of HIV infection. A study followed about 6,000 women ages 18 to 35 in Thailand, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The women were offered birth control pills, depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate injections and condoms, and were tested for HIV four to five times a year for 15 to 24 months.

None were HIV positive when the trial began. Two-hundred-and-thirteen participants in Africa and four participants in Thailand at the end of the study were HIV positive. No evidence was found that linked use of hormonal contraceptives to an increased risk of infection.

The study could not exclude an increase in risk for HIV infection among women already at higher risk, such as sex workers. rw

U.S.: The War on Contraception

The president of the American Life League, Judie Brown, said that when a baby is conceived accidentally, a couple using contraception have this negative attitude toward the child and therefore seek an abortion. The league opposes all forms of contraception.

Americans United for Life, see contraception and abortion as part of a mind-set that's worrisome in terms of respecting life and has to include how we think and act with regard to sexuality and contraception.

Many Christians who are active in the anti-birth-control arena state that they want to change the way Americans have sex.

Focus on the Family posts on its Web site: "Contraception, encourages sexual promiscuity, sexual deviance (like homosexuality) and a preoccupation with sex that is unhealthful even within marriage".

For those who work in the public health field, and respect long-standing public health principles it's extremely disheartening to think they may be set back decades.

There are 6.4 million pregnancies a year in the U.S., 3.1 million are unintended and 1.3 million end in abortion. If women had quick, easy access to a backup contraceptive, those rates would drop.

At a White House press briefing Scott McClellan would not say whether Bush supported contraception. rw

India: Sangrur Locals Allege Forced Sterilisation

Hundreds of people from Punjab's Sangrur district have complained that they were forcibly sterilised and claim they went to hospital for treatment, and were operated upon without their knowledge. But the administration denies any knowledge of it. Sukhdev Singh was diagnosed with tuberculosis and referred to the civil hospital in Sangrur. But instead for getting treatment for TB, Sukhdev said he had a vasectomy without his knowledge. The government had organised a family planning camp in Sangrur recently, where the sterilisation procedures were carried out on 511 men and 300 women. But no one can be sure whether these were voluntary. The administration insists it knows nothing about forced sterilisations. Said Hassan Lal, DC, Sangrur. "If somebody comes with the complaint, I will take action. Certainly this will hamper the family welfare programme." Unscrupulous officials have been known to force these operations on unsuspecting villagers to fill the quota demanded by the government. rw

Birth Control Pill Study Flawed

Federal officials said that a new analysis shows no evidence that oral contraceptives cut the risk of heart disease. A new analysis determined that the heart findings were flawed and the breast cancer findings are suspect. Once age and other factors were considered, they could not find a relationship between pill use and heart disease. Previous studies that were scientifically sound found that pill-users have a small increased risk of blood clots, heart attacks and stroke but also had 8% less risk of cardiovascular disease and 7% less risk of developing cancer. But the findings were based on information women gave and were not verified with medical records. rw