THERE has been an increase in women seeking abortions in the UK who report using no contraception or 'fertility awareness' strategies, according to international research published this week.
The team compared self-reported contraceptive use for patients seeking an abortion in the UK in 2018 and in 2023.
Use of the pill, mini pill, implants, patches and vaginal rings has given way to more 'natural' methods, such as period tracking apps that highlight monthly peak fertility/ovulation, the findings indicate.
They say the reported use of 'fertility awareness' - tracking the menstrual cycle and avoiding sex during ovulation - increased from 0.4% to 2.5% from 2018 to 2023, while those using no contraception increased from 56% to 70%.
Reported use of hormonal contraception dropped from 19% to 11% and the use of long-acting reversible long-term contraception such as IUDs also dropped over this time.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that women are increasingly turning to more 'natural' fertility awareness methods of contraception, largely driven by social media, the researchers said.
However, they noted it is an observational study, precluding firm conclusions to be drawn about cause and effect.
"While the rise in abortion rates is multifactorial, one aspect that needs scrutiny is any change in contraceptive use, and particularly this surge in the use of ehealth, including fertility apps, period tracker apps, and natural family planning apps," they said.
"The possible relationship between these less effective methods of contraception and unplanned pregnancy requires further investigation.
"However, informing the public about the efficacy of such methods in order to facilitate informed contraceptive choices is needed," they concluded.
Read the full paper HERE.
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