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THE IRISH FAMILY Planning Association saw an 85 per cent jump in the number of women presenting for post-abortion care last year.
That accounts for 42 per cent of its client in the counselling department.
The group said improved awareness of counselling services has led to a marked increase in the numbers attending clinics and calling the helpline.
Over 1,400 women, girls and couples received one-to-one crisis pregnancy counselling across IFPA’s 11 centres during 2011.
Chief executive Niall Behan said, “The improved awareness of the availability of the IFPA’s post-abortion counselling services, the breakdown of stigma associated with the procedure and women’s increasing willingness to discuss abortion are all factors that have led to more demand for our crisis pregnancy facilities.”
On the whole, women seem to be more willing to speak about such situations, and more inclined to avail of the support services available to them.
Over the 12 months, the IFPA provided sexual and reproductive services to about 19,000 clients across its two Dublin clinics.
The clinics have seen a reduction in the number of private clients attending since the emergency contraceptive pill was made available over the counter at pharmacies.
However, there has been an increase in the number of medical card holders requesting services but due to budget restraints, some have had to be referred back to their GPs. The organisation says it continues to struggle in the face of continuing cuts.
“The 4.35 per cent cut in funding in 2011 forced the IFPA to ration the delivery of family planning services to medical card holders,” explained Behan. “Clients experienced delays of up to six weeks for contraceptive consultations and clients seeking long-term contraceptive devices (such as the coil and Implanon) faced delays of anything between one to three months for initiation of contraceptive devices.”
Contraception
An audit into the use of long-term contraception found that the use of more cost-effective and more reliable LARC (long-acting reversible contraception) methods should be promoted.
IFPA clinics regularly saw women who are using short-term contraception, such as the oral contraceptive pill, as they are unable to afford the initial outlay of more effective long term contraception, such as the implant or coil, which can cost up to €300.
The report of the review carried out over a 15-month period, however, revealed that the LARC methods are more cost-effective in the long-term despite the initial outlay.
Estimates show that a woman may spend between €150 and €260 on the pill compared to an annual cost of €94 for an implant, €65 for the LNG IUS and €25 for the copper IUCD coil.
Behan said the audit suggested that the LARC methods are “highly effective, less expensive in the long-term, and convenient for women”.
“With failure rates of one per 1,000 or less, and given they are not subject to user errors, they have been proven to be a more reliable form of contraception than oral methods, which have failure rates varying from 1 per cent for perfect use to 8 per cent for usual use.”
“The IFPA would actively promote their use over the pill,” added the CEO.
Health Checks
During the year, over 1,700 screenings for STIs were carried out at IFPA clinics. Despite the growing numbers, the IFPA believes that a lack of access to STI screenings is still a major cause of concern, particularly for young people and those on low incomes.
Such tests are not covered under the medical card scheme and the association believes that current services are “insufficient and inequitable”.
In 2011, 4,206 women were screened for cervical cancer at IFPA clinics – a 15 per cent decrease on the previous year.
The IFPA was founded in 1969 to challenge the State’s ban on contraceptive services. It now provides contraceptive advice, vasectomy services, free cervical screening, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and treatment, free post-abortion medical check-ups, women’s health checks, fertility and menopause advice and pregnancy testing.
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Did anyone explain the rules of fight club to these people!
@Darren Ahern: Seems they did… hence no one’s talkin’ about it!?
@Joe Phillips: they made a Snapchat group about it sure that’s worse than talking about it!
@Darren Ahern: They are cowards, gangs attacking one or two people, not really a fight club.
@Darren Ahern: Haha! Good point
Although I don’t remember hearin’ Tyler Durden mention snapchat so, technically…
@Darren Ahern: came here for this comment. Was not disappointed
People don’t report stuff because Guards do nothing about it the majority of the time. And if they do something, the courts don’t follow through. There is no justice for victims in Ireland.
Can’t do anything if it’s not reported.
@Anthony: Can’t do anything when crimes are reported either apparently.
@Carol Oates: moral of the story: never try
@Carol Oates: “apparently”
@Carol Oates: something tells me you want to see more criminals doing porridge.
@Carol Oates: I didnt know Ireland has a 0% crime detection rate…….. why have you hidden this from us for so long… all wise and powerful one
@Carol Oates: It’s sadly true. Someone without a previous conviction would likely be given a suspended sentence for assault in this country, if it can even be proven through the courts. For victims the idea of taking on a gang like this when none of them are taken off the streets is terrifying since the chances of them or one of their comrades coming for revenge is high.
@Carol Oates: all the gardai do is issue speeding fines
@Rochelle: Exactly right.
I’m in no way condoning any of the behaviour described here but I cannot imagine what my childhood would have been like if all the fights that went on when I was young had been filmed.
Two opposing schools fighting down the park….. fights after school….
Can’t say I can think of strangers ever being randomly attacked but there was a lot of fights when I was young that I’m very glad there is no evidence of today.
@Bob Earner: I always get a chuckle out of the “kids these days”’comments from older generations. The same stuff and worse went on back the. Just there wasn’t cameras everywhere to record it or social media to share it
@Kian: It’s the weirdest form of amnesia!!
Can you imagine if every fight resulted in a criminal assault charge!? 60% of my school would have been up in front of the Childrens Panel!
@Bob Earner: There has always been fights after school. But these youths seem to be recording random vicious assaults just for the fun of it. A big difference.
@Kian: ha exactly. If there’s a gun attack : jaysus the worst I ever saw was a knife.
If there’s a knife attack : why can’t they just use their God given fists the cowards!
Use fists : what is wrong with these monsters bring back the rope
@Bob Earner: War of the Buttons is a classic Irish children’s film about two rival schools baiting lumps out if each other.
any shyte bag who randomly attacks someone should be tarred, feathered and forced into the wilderness to fend for themselves
@Eon Cocker: and blow we go live to the 1700s
@Seriously stunned: and now we go live to the 1700s.
Gardai are only getting involved and making a statement in the media because it’s in the public eye and they have to be seen to be doing something. Especially after the recent stats on young offenders getting away with a slew of crimes. They couldn’t care less about teenagers fighting, in reality.
Don’t bother reporting it to the guards they are useless. I witnessed a car being broken into at the weekend rang the guards to report it & they never came, an hour later my wife rang back & reported it again, they never came and now the car is just sitting there wrecked. The scrotes sat in it for an hour trying to get it started and then just walked away.
@Tom Sawyer: no money in responding to that.
@Pius Flynn: we get it you don’t like the Gardaí…yawn
We effectively have no police force in this country now as all their time is taken up gathering revenue for the Government by harassing hard working people going about their business.
No other European people would put up with this lunacy
@Pius Flynn: 10 people dead in 7 days on Irish roads! I think enforcing road traffic legislation is a worthwhile endeavour
Why do people insist on sh*tting on the Gardai when the article clearly states that they are pro-actively trying to sort the problem out?
@Pius Flynn: What exactly are you getting at? Hard-working people speeding; not paying tax; insurance; unsafe vehicles? And if you think that no other Europeans would put up with this, I invite you to try any of the above in France, the Uk, Spain or Germany. You might be surprised to find yourself walking home.
@David Irwin: it depends on what legislation you are talking about.
And anyway we have enough laws, we need training for young drivers, and roads that are safe to drive on.
@George Salter: In other country’s they have technology called number plate recognition, you were probably too busy shining the local superintendents shoes to hear about it.
In other country’s if the police tried to set up checkpoints like they do here, they would be driven across, and rightfully so.
If you pay your tax and insurance and you have a valid drivers license you should be able to go about your business unhindered.
The police have far too much power in this country, it’s a police state really.
@Pius Flynn: been stopped at checkpoints in Germany and Slovenia. Anymore “facts” you want to make up?
Make the statements before someone dies.
His name is Robert Paulson…
Could we not just get some undercover Gardai to join the group and go beat the bejaysus out of them?
have your say