COUPLES in the US have less choice of contraceptives than couples in Western Europe and some less developed countries, according to a report published this week by the US's National Research Council, the research arm of the National Academy of Sciences. The NRC argues the need for better, safer and more varied contraceptive methods to suit couples at all stages of their reproductive life. In particular, it stresses the need for a variety of contraceptives to suit women of all ages.
The requirement exists because, despite the risks of some contraceptives, women aged under 35 years who do not use contraceptives have a higher risk of dying (from, for example, problems in pregnancy and childbirth) than women who do, including smokers who take the pill.
Possible ways of widening contraceptive choice include new methods of giving people steroidal hormones which would reduce the number of times the drug has to ...
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