The Cost of Contraception

angeldelight

tinz18 wrote: »

Unfortunately I only have two choices for the pill (Progesterone only pills) so no switching for me. Noriday is okay but the window is only 15mins so its very very easy to miss a pill even though I'm good at timekeeping- so I switched to Cerazette once I became sexually active.

I've been on Noriday in the past, it's 3 hours not 15 minutes... Still tight!

tinz18

Hm all my doctors said 15 minutes- even the doc this morning said the same- maybe the indications changed and they didn't catch up. 3 hours at max is definitely still tight- especially if you had left it at home and had gone out for the day.

angeldelight

Strange that they think it's 15 mins, has been 3 hours for at least 8/9 years. Definitely stressful though, I was delighted when cerazette became licensed here

The Cool

I've recently come off the pill, wanting to give my body a break after a few years, and am shocked at the price of condoms now! When I was last constantly buying, they were maybe 14-15 euro for a box of 12 or 14? And you'd often get a deal of 2 boxes for 16 quid in Boots. I see now, in Boots or Tesco they're 19.99. What happened there?! I was last relying on condoms 2 and a half years ago, before going on the pill though would always have a box handy just in case. I think this price hike is quite recent?

Ocean Blue

The Cool wrote: »

I've recently come off the pill, wanting to give my body a break after a few years, and am shocked at the price of condoms now! When I was last constantly buying, they were maybe 14-15 euro for a box of 12 or 14? And you'd often get a deal of 2 boxes for 16 quid in Boots. I see now, in Boots or Tesco they're 19.99. What happened there?! I was last relying on condoms 2 and a half years ago, before going on the pill though would always have a box handy just in case. I think this price hike is quite recent?

I think you're shopping in the wrong places! Lots of pharmacies will have durex for 9.99, 11.99 etc. That would be standard price in some places, special offers in others. You might pay 16.99ish for some of the fancier varieties but I've never in 14 years of working in pharmacies sold condoms for 19.99. Defo shop around more, there's obviously enormous price variation!

YumCha

tinz18 wrote: »

As far as I have been told and have read the coil is mostly recommended for people who have had kids and don't want anymore. In some cases if the person is a very high risk for pregnancy they can be given it.

FYI - the coil (copper, Mirena, whatever that new one is) is for all intensive purposes available to everyone same as any other kind of contraception - subject to individual circumstances.

I've no kids and have been on the Mirena for over 5 years as I've endometriosis and heavy periods (so going non-hormonal is not an option) and had previously had bad reactions to 8 diff types of pill, the implant, and the nuva ring.

Penny Tration

YumCha wrote: »

FYI - the coil (copper, Mirena, whatever that new one is) is for all intensive purposes available to everyone same as any other kind of contraception - subject to individual circumstances.

I've no kids and have been on the Mirena for over 5 years as I've endometriosis and heavy periods (so going non-hormonal is not an option) and had previously had bad reactions to 8 diff types of pill, the implant, and the nuva ring.

Depends on your doctor. Mine refuses to refer me to get a coil in because I haven't had kids.

My only other option due to genetic risks is the pop.

Cerazette works brilliantly for me, thankfully. No awful periods (pcos makes them a bitch), just the odd breakthrough bleed every few months.

Only issue I have with it is that I've developed very mild acne, whereas I NEVER got spots before. The stuff my doc gave me didn't help so I'll have to get something else to get rid of it.

Tbh though, I'd choose a few tiny spots over no Cerazette any day.

Malari

You could always get a second opinion GS. I had two GPs suggest the coil to me although I've not had kids either.

YumCha

Also you don't need a referral - you can go to any Wellwoman clinic if you're in Dublin.

Penny Tration

YumCha wrote: »

Also you don't need a referral - you can go to any Wellwoman clinic if you're in Dublin.

Can you? My younger sister was sent to the rotunda for hers (funnily enough, referred by the doctor who refused me, even though my sister was a 17 year old virgin!).

I did ask two other doctors in the surgery, and they refused on the basis that I hadn't had children, also.

Didn't realise well woman do it. I live around the corner from one, so i might pop in and discuss it.


If it's a non-hormonal coil, I presume I can continue to take Cerazette with it?

Faith

The copper coil is a complete non-hormonal contraceptive. You wouldn't need to take cerazette with it, and I'm pretty sure you shouldn't also.

YumCha

Yep - have a look here: http://wellwomancentre.ie/index.php?p=services

The Cerazette question is really one for a doctor. All I know about the non-hormonal coil is that it wasn't an option for me because I have heavy painful periods. Also far as I know both the Mirena and Jaydess are progesterone only - although they use Levonorgestrel as opposed to Desogestrel which is in Cerazette.

Penny Tration

Thanks, ladies.

Trip to my local well woman is in order

pwurple

skallywag wrote: »

It's difficult to argue against free contraception.

The thing is though, how could Ireland possibly afford such an initiative at the moment? What would we rob from in order to pay for it, and would that then be accepted by the vast majority of the country?

I think it's quite easy to argue against free contraception. There is enough pressure on women already to avoid children. Women get snide comments at work about how they are taking a holiday if they have a baby... I was once told I should join the sterilisation team, because I was pregnant when I already had a child at home. My friend was told "that's your career over so" when she told work she was pregnant. Add another layer of "why are you pregnant when contraception is free" to it, and we are approaching the google heights of freezing womens eggs so they don't have kids on their time.

I'm all for controlling my own fertility and cycles, but encouraging a drop in the birth rate is lunacy. We can't even afford the services we want because of our low population density.

Snoopy1

I think that's bs
I get questioned all the time as to why I don't have or want kids. It's feels like I'm abnormal to not want kids.
I'd love to be sterilised to end all this buying contraception every month.
I don't think they are trying to make us into a child less society if they were there wouldn't be so many benefits for people that have kids

Penny Tration

Have to agree with snoopy.

Your friend's boss who said that to her about her career is an ass.

But, I notice women being looked down upon if they choose not to have kids.

Doctors don't think I can have them, or at least, I have a very reduced chance of having them. Fine by me, as I don't want any.

However, every single woman I know thinks I'm bonkers for not wanting kids, or that I'll change my mind. I'm 25, I realised when I was 12 that I didn't want them. It's not going to change!

Luckily, my boyfriend agrees with me, and doesn't want them either. Our mothers though - jesus christ. Constant comments from both about how we need to hurry up and give them grandchildren. Apparently we are obliged to provide one grandchild, because we're very unfair if we don't. Even my friends (all bar one have kids) question why I haven't had a child yet, just because I'm in a relationship.

meeeeh

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I don't think they are trying to make us into a child less society if they were there wouldn't be so many benefits for people that have kids

I would like to know what those fabulous benefits are?

Anyway I don't think limiting the access to contraception will solve the aging population problems. Especially in case of teen pregnancies there is a huge likelihood that you are creating future dole customers anyway.

Edit: I will say that external pressure can be a significant thing. I come from a country that has one of the lowest teen pregnancy rates in Europe. And while access to contraception is important, there is also societal pressure not to have kids too early. I don't know anyone who would get pregnant and decided to keep a child before reaching twenty. I know almost nobody that would decide to keep a child unless they are in stable relationship. It happens sometimes but those who do, usually have very strong family support. I know women get all the time asked about children but those who decide to keep a child in their teens are usually just branded an idiot.

Snoopy1

I'm not getting into politics but women on the dole seem to get more and more money every child they have. They get everything paid for them.

meeeeh

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I'm not getting into politics but women on the dole seem to get more and more money every child they have. They get everything paid for them.

I agree but they are hardly universal benefits for having children.

NZ_2014

green_screen wrote: »

However, every single woman I know thinks I'm bonkers for not wanting kids, or that I'll change my mind. I'm 25, I realised when I was 12 that I didn't want them. It's not going to change!

Luckily, my boyfriend agrees with me, and doesn't want them either. Our mothers though - jesus christ. Constant comments from both about how we need to hurry up and give them grandchildren. Apparently we are obliged to provide one grandchild, because we're very unfair if we don't. Even my friends (all bar one have kids) question why I haven't had a child yet, just because I'm in a relationship.

Emigrate and get away from their silly opinions on your life

Morag

We get damned for not having kids and damned if we do, tbh such attitudes are bull**** and yes I agree with free contraception but we also need better childcare options.

www.femplus.ie will fit a copper coil IUCD or a Mirena IUS to women who are suitable who have not had kids.

eviltwin

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I'm not getting into politics but women on the dole seem to get more and more money every child they have. They get everything paid for them.

:rolleyes: Sigh. No they don't. Its a myth that people on the dole / lone parents and anyone else you want to add into that group get everything for free.

pwurple

Snoopy1 wrote: »

I think that's bs
I get questioned all the time as to why I don't have or want kids. It's feels like I'm abnormal to not want kids.
I'd love to be sterilised to end all this buying contraception every month.
I don't think they are trying to make us into a child less society if they were there wouldn't be so many benefits for people that have kids

Excuse me? Which part do you think is BS? Both google and facebook apparantly offer egg freezing, unless you are saying I'm lying about my own experiences.

What benefits are you even talking about? Is it the 1400 euro a month part time creche fees I'm paying?

There should be incentives for people to have children, because we die off the planet without another generation. And if anything, it should be the educated working law abiding taxpayers who should be encouraged to reproduce. Removing tax benefits (was done years ago), cutting maternity benefit from working women, reducing child benefit... It all erodes away, making things more and more difficult. Adding free contraception would be more of it... The expectation again, that you should take it because it's free, and hence, incentivised.


A choice is a different ball game to an incentive.

(And anyone who tells people they SHOULD have children, deserves to be in the same bucket as the people who tell me I should not)

Snoopy1

If your moaning that much about having kids, don't have them

NZ_2014

pwurple wrote: »

There should be incentives for people to have children, because we die off the planet without another generation.

Really? I don't think we will die off any time soon!

Population in the 1920s hit 2 billion. 7 Billion around 2010. Projected to hit 12 billion by 2100.

meeeeh

Snoopy1 wrote: »

If your moaning that much about having kids, don't have them

You made a dumb statement about benefits, now you are dismissive of real issues that working women face instead of being grateful that they still want to have children who will pay for your pension and fund your medical bills in future. So what is your agenda? To attack every woman that made different life choices as you?

Dolbert

NZ_2014 wrote: »

Really? I don't think we will die off any time soon!

Population in the 1920s hit 2 billion. 7 Billion around 2010. Projected to hit 12 billion by 2100.

There's a declining ageing population in Europe. It's a real potential problem in this part of the world.

NZ_2014

Dolbert wrote: »

There's a declining ageing population in Europe. It's a real potential problem in this part of the world.

Its interesting how for thousands of years only two children survived until adulthood. Recently with Improved healthcare and faster methods of food production etc the population has exploded as shown in Image below. Many studies show how unsustainable things have become globally.

The aging population is partly a result of recent generations having very large families.
I see your point though that it will create problems.Work to be done!

meeeeh

I would be surprised if the bit about large families actually holds for continental Europe. I think after ww2 the size of families drastically declined. Ireland is actually an exception in Europe in comparison to the continent.

Anyway migration will solve some problems but there is a problem of cultural clashes. There is a point when main culture isn't able to absorb the influx of different value systems. And I think Europe is anxious to hold on to a model of secular welfare state.

Morag

Ireland has more families which have 4 or more kids then any other country in the EU.
I reckon the lack of access to all possible reproductive choices plays a part in this.

But Ireland only has a population of about 4.5 million it's had 6.5 million previously in 1841.