Students to be given pill

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32540, 25 February 1971, Page 1

Students to be given pill

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, February 24. There was a need for contraceptive advice to be given to those unmarried people already having sexual intercourse, the physician in charge of the Otago University Student Health Service (Dr D. U. Strang) told nearly 1000 first-year students at a formal orientation function held in the University Union today.

The short answer to the 64-dollar question, “would the contraceptive pill be given to student girls?” was “yes,” Dr Strang said.

Use of the pill would be a decision to be made by the individual student, he said, and because it was available did not mean it was a pattern for all to follow. The pill would be available to girls who were already, or anticipated, sleeping with their boyfriends. He said it would not be prescribed for those girls who appeared to be conforming to the pattern of a group. Dr Strang said later that he did not think the availability of the pill would have a great impact on the number of pregnancies among unmarried girls. “We have got to expect that there will be a greater problem,” he said. “It is an important decision for an individual girl, but will probably not affect the over-all number an the community,” he said.

Dr Strang said he wanted to advise students who were already having intercourse to have contraceptive advice and have it early. This was the first time the student health service had made an open statement on

the availability of contraceptives.