WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for July, 1998: Re: Is this misleading information?

Re: Is this misleading information?

From: Tricia (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 30 Jul 1998 12:14:33 -0500 (CDT)

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In reply to: Tracy: "Is this misleading information?"

At Sat, 25 Jul 1998, Tracy wrote: >
>While surfing tonight, found this site on birth control, including the
>following paragraph:
>
>"If your method of
>contraception has an average failure rate of 18%, over five years your
>likelihood of pregnancy is greater
>than fifty percent. During those five years, figure 63 out of 100 women
>using a diaphragm will have gotten
>pregnant at least once. The average woman using
>reversible contraception can expect two unintended pregnancies in her
>lifetime... Even a low annual risk of contraceptive failure
>implies a high risk of becoming
>pregnant during a lifetime of use. "
>
>Of course, there are contraceptive failures, but to me that's as though
>the person who manages this website is saying that a
>woman who uses even effective contraceptives (pill, depo) WILL become
>pregnant in a few years or so time, even if using it
>correctly!! This goes against what I have been taught about
>contraception...the whole point, after all, is to prevent pregancy! I
>know that women can use the pill for 10 years or more and never have a
>pregnancy, or depo for a year or two. In fact, I always
>thought that the longer a woman uses her method, especially if it's a
>horomonal method, will only decrease her chances of
>getting pregnant on her method.
>
>Is this just some misleading info put on the net?

This is VERY misleading info, and an example of how people manipulate statistics. If a method has a failure rate of 18%, that means 18 out of 100 will become pregnant with/in one year of use. That statement is true, but to find out the statistical probability of pregnancy over five years, you don't just multiply the 18% by five---you'd have to do a ratio and multiply the 100 by five as well, which leaves you back at 18%.

Don't let them kid you---you're absolutely right about method effectiveness.

Web sites like that one drive me crazy---I'd like to check it out, if you'd e-mail me the address.

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In reply to: Tracy: "Is this misleading information?"

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