Breastfeeding ‘doesn’t stop pregnancy’

MELBOURNE - The myth about not falling pregnant while breastfeeding seems to plague a number women, who have been revealed to not use contraception until three months after the birth of a child.

A survey commissioned by a sexual and reproductive health service found it necessary to issue a warning after it emerged that 35 percent of Australian women fail to use contraception immediately after giving birth.

“We often see women in our centres who have accidentally fallen pregnant soon after giving birth,” the Courier Mail quoted Jill Michelson, Australian clinical adviser to Marie Stopes International, as saying.

“Sometimes they think they can’t get pregnant if they are breastfeeding or their current contraception may not fit in with their new routine,” she stated.

Michelson said women should speak with their doctor about their contraceptive options as soon as, and preferably before, they resumed sexual intercourse.

“Many women, especially time-poor mothers, need convenient ways to manage family spacing,” she said.

“It is important for women to discuss contraceptive options with their doctor or sexual health professional, especially after the birth of a child,” she added. (ANI)