Great Britain: Youngsters Who Sleep Around Risk Infertility Explosion

Marking the beginning of Sexual Health Week in the United Kingdom, family planning experts warned on Sunday that although people ages 16-24 are experiencing a record incidence of chlamydia, six out of 10 say they use condoms only "sometimes" or "never." The experts said the government is not doing enough to fight the outbreak, and they called for an immediate national screening program for women under 25, among whom one in 10 is infected.

The Family Planning Association survey of 1,000 men and women ages 16-50 revealed that only 10 percent of people in a relationship who had used condoms in the past year said they had a test for STDs when changing partners. The same percentage said they used condoms specifically to prevent STDs. More than 40 percent said they had not changed their sexual behavior during the last year in the light of what they know about STDs, including chlamydia.

Between 1995 and 2000, reported chlamydia cases soared from 30,877 to 64,000. Among people ages 16-24, nearly 19,000 cases were diagnosed last year.

"Over 200 people a day will be diagnosed with chlamydia during Sexual Health Week, yet the screening program has been delayed due to a lack of significant and sustained investment," said FPA Chief Executive Anne Weyman. "This is a crazy, false economy on the part of the government considering that dealing with the consequences of untreated chlamydia, such as ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems costs the [National Health Service] an estimated 50 million [pounds, or US$80.8 million] a year." The government's testing program for 16- to 25-year olds is so far undergoing a trial period in only 10 areas of England.

Weyman called for "more open and honest discussion, both at school through sex and relationships education, and in the home, combined with easy access to high quality sexual health services and free condom schemes for all."

Back to other news for August 7, 2003