Doctors urged to offer Pill alternatives

LONDON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- British health officials says the nation's health service must give women a choice of using longer-acting contraceptives instead of the daily Pill.

Unlike the Pill or condoms, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) require only a single injection or implant and carry much smaller risks of unplanned pregnancies, the Times of London reported.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence says such pregnancies could be reduced by tens of thousands if more women took up the offer of LARC.

Family planning groups say there is a shocking lack of awareness of LARC, which have many benefits for women but are rarely offered because of the cost.

Long-acting contraceptives were used by only 8 percent of British women aged 16 to 49 for 2003-04, compared with 25 percent on the Pill and 23 percent using condoms.