Natural family planning

Press, 15 August 1978, Page 16

Natural family planning

Sir, — Alan Wilkinson (August 14) falsely states my beliefs. Judgmental assessment of another person’s beliefs is outside my sphere of _ activity. Stating that artificial contraception oppresses women does not advocate women being forced to conceive. Stating that a supremocist attitude exists based on a man’s “right” to unrestricted sex and women being .oppressed to ensure this “right” is an affirmation of the meaning of. “right.” Claiming that contraception is a joint responsibility is attacking that myth of male “rights” and acknowledging the equality of humans, men and women. My views or morality have not been expressed. It has nothing to do with religion. — Yours, etc., R. P. DALZIEL. August 14, 1978.

Sir, — Contraceptive failure rates are expressed as the percentage of women who conceive each vear while using the method in question. Therefore, a woman who uses a method with a 3 per cent failure rate for 25 years, has about a 75 per cent chance of becoming pregnant in that time. The failure rates for the contraceptive pills are 1

-2 per cent per womanyear. The rate of abortions in countries where abortions are readily available is about 4 per cent. If the New Zealand abortion law was repealed there would be only a small rise, in the number' of women obtaining abortions and the rate would quickly stabilise. At present twothirds of our abortions are being done in Australia. My statement that 50 per cent to 100 per cent of women would conceive an unwanted child in their lifetime if they used natural family planning, gave the method a generous lower limit. Other correspondents have given the reasons why my upper limit is more realistic. — Yours, etc., ALAN L. WILKINSON.’ August 14, 1978.