World Contraception Day 2023: The Power of Options
Date: 26 Sep 2023
Type: FSRH News and Information
This year's World Contraception Day theme, ‘The Power of Options,’ highlights the pivotal role that contraceptive choices play in giving individuals the ability to effectively manage their reproductive health.
To support this year’s theme, we acknowledge the importance of offering a variety of contraceptive options to empower individuals to make informed choices; and we invite our members and all advocates for high quality SRH to join the conversation and work with us on achieving our vision to improve access and standards of contraceptive care.
Below we’ve listed a variety of resources and activities that align with the FSRH Hatfield Vision. Read on to find out about our recent campaign work and how you can get involved.
Advocacy
The FSRH Hatfield Vision outlines three specific goals advocating for more choice and autonomy for all women and individuals looking to access contraception in a way that meets their holistic SRH needs. These are:
- Goal 3. Integrated Care Systems (ICS), local authorities and providers promote the fulfilment of SRH rights including offering women and girls the full range of contraceptive methods in the location of their choosing, with quick access to local general practice and specialist services when needed.
- Goal 4. Face-to-face and remote contraceptive consultations are patient-centred, with users feeling able to openly discuss their preferences, participating in decision-making effectively, as well as being informed about possible side effects and how to deal with them as per FSRH Quality Standards.
- Goal 8. ICS should ensure that all methods of contraception are discussed with women during pregnancy and, where possible, their method of choice should be initiated prior to discharge from maternity services. Rapid follow-up pathways for LARC should be in place when needed.
FSRH has also recently initiated an FSRH Hatfield Vision Implementation Working Group on Improving Access to Emergency Contraception, which is Chaired by Kirsty Armstrong, National Pharmacy Integration Lead at NHS England, and Flic Gabbay, President of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine. The Group, which aligns with Goal 7 of the FSRH Hatfield Vision, held its first meeting in July. It is now splitting into two sub-groups to focus on specific actions to help deliver against this goal of the Vision.
Dr Janet Barter, President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), said:
“This year’s World Contraception Day theme of ‘The Power of Options’ is an important reminder that individuals must be properly equipped to have full control over their reproductive health. This includes access to the full range of contraceptive methods, which enables women to choose a method that is best suited to them.
I am pleased to see the FSRH Hatfield Vision Taskforce – and the 50+ organisations who have endorsed this work – taking steps to deliver against the specific goals of the Vision aiming to improve equitable access to, and standards of, contraceptive care.”
Read the FSRH Hatfield Vision Read our Position Statement on Contraception
Resources for patients
Explore your Contraception Options:
Endorsed by the FSRH, Brook’s Contraception Tool will ask you a series of questions about you, your needs, and your preferences. Based on your answers it will present options that most fit your criteria, as well as those that may immediately be a no-go.
The Contraception Choices website provides information to help weigh up the pros and cons of each contraception method to empower individuals to make informed choices.
We partnered with The Lowdown to debunk common myths about contraception, enabling you to make more informed decisions about your contraception of choice.
The Lowdown Myth Buster Blogs:
- Mood
- Weight gain
- Sex drive
- Skin changes
- Period changes
- Return to fertility
- Cancer
- POP breast cancer risk
- Overview of the top side effects
How can you get involved?
Write to your MP
If you're struggling to access your contraception of choice, stuck on a long waiting list, or having to travel far to access contraception, then your rights to access healthcare are not being realised, and your MP should be made aware!
View our guide and download our template to write a letter to your MP
Spread the Word
Join our mission to spread awareness by sharing our pledge to promote sexual and reproductive health rights including access to the full range of contraceptive methods.
Download our social media card and use hashtag #FSRH_HatfieldVision.