World first in sexual health as My Contraception Tool launched

Posted by on 7 July 2010

Sexual health charities Brook and FPA today launched My Contraception Tool (v1.0) a unique, evidence-based web tool designed to support people's contraceptive choices by evaluating their preferences and priorities as well as their physical needs. This new web tool is expected to fundamentally change contraceptive consultations - empowering people's choice and giving invaluable support to busy health professionals.

Eighteen months in development, and launched simultaneously on both organisations' websites, the tool combines specialist software1, research2, expertise in decision making3 and sexual health and months of user involvement and consultation. Using the latest research into every method of contraception, the circumstances, medical history and personal preferences are input by the user online. These data are then processed and each contraceptive method is ranked in order to suit individual needs.

Simon Blake, Brook's National Director, said:
"We wanted to help young people think about the kind of things they need to take into account when it comes to making contraceptive choices and this tool supports them in doing that. We hope it will give young people the confidence to have conversations with health professionals about the range of contraceptive choices available to them as well as beginning to understand the importance of making informed decisions."

Julie Bentley, chief executive of FPA, added:
"There are many medical and lifestyle considerations to think about when choosing a contraceptive method. And everybody benefits from having the most up to date information at their fingertips. My Contraception Tool is quick and easy to use. It will open up the range of options to women of all ages and give health professionals another facility to use during contraceptive consultations."

The tool is designed for use by men and women of any age who want to use contraception and is linked to further information about each contraceptive method as well as a wealth of information on other aspects of sexual health.

People can log on to My Contraception Tool at www.brook.org.uk/mycontraceptiontool or www.fpa.org.uk/mycontraceptiontool
and answer questions about their lifestyle, medical history and their priorities in terms of contraception.

As the tool provides a hierarchy of methods based upon the preferences of the user the results can be printed and taken to help initiate conversations with a healthcare professional.

Health professionals can use the tool either by going through the surveys with people during consultations, talking through the options and discussing their advantages. Alternatively, the result sheet can be printed out by the person at home and used to form the basis of a contraceptive consultation.

My Contraception Tool is backed by some of the country's leading professional health representative organisations.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing commented:

"We are delighted to see Brook and FPA launch such an easy-to-use, invaluable resource which will quickly and easily help people to make informed decisions about their sexual health. It is important that people are aware of the wide range of choice there is about contraception so they can find a method which best suits their needs."

Dr Ewen Stewart from the Royal College of General Practitioners' Sex, Drugs and HIV Group said:

"Discussing sexuality and contraception with patients can sometimes be uncomfortable for healthcare professionals. My Contraception Tool acts as a conversation starter that will help GPs and Practice Nurses to discuss contraceptive choice, allowing people to make the right choice of method for themselves."

My Contraception Tool was developed by a team of specialists from Brook, FPA, Maldaba Ltd. (www.maldaba.co.uk), and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (www.lshtm.ac.uk).