International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Sexual and reproductive health and rights research has found half of young adult Latino people in rural Oregon, US, do not use effective contraception regularly despite not wanting children and one expert has said such behaviour is not limited to this ethnic group.

Public health postdoctoral fellow at Oregon State University Jocelyn Warren, where the study took place, explained many individuals practice "magical thinking" when it comes to assessing the risks linked to having intercourse.

"There is this tendency to believe that if you have unprotected sex once and nothing happens, somehow you are incapable of getting pregnant," she explained.

Ms Warren added that this issue is "certainly not just applicable to ... rural Latinos".

The study on 450 men and women from this ethnic group revealed being an active decision-maker makes it more likely they will use male condoms rather than the birth control pill or nothing at all.

Using hormonal contraception alone does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases and male partners wearing condoms suggests both people have agreed to the measure, it was pointed out.

It was highlighted females do not always have the power in a relationship so sharing decision-making like this is important for family planning and their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Researchers at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine in the US recently discovered more misinformation about emergency contraception is given in low-income areas of the country compared with more affluent places.

Posted by David Smith