More than 8,000 use Family Planning clinic

April 1984

THE condom was the most popular method of contraception among people using the services of the Bray Family Planning Clinic in 1983.

According to a statement issued by the B.F.P.C. this week, 4,357 of the people attending the clinic chose to use condoms.

The second most popular method of contraception was the pill which was used by 1,037, next came spermicides, used along with some other method at 949, next the inter-urine device at 266 and finally the diaphragm or cap at 209. Nineteen couples using the services of the clinic chose vasectomy and 12 chose female sterilisation, the statement added.

39 came to the clinic seeking information on the temperature of Billings Method. A total of 8,245 people attended the clinic.

There was a general increase for the previous year, those for 1983 show that the number of women using the pill almost doubled - from 548 to 1,037.

There was a general increase in the number of people visiting the clinic, not only for supplies, but also to obtain information and to attend medical sessions. 460 women came for cervical smear tests and breast examination, while the clinic also carried out 342 pregnancy tests.

By no means all of those who availed of the services were local. Of the 1,982 people whose addresses were notes, 1,122 came from Wicklow, but there were also 557 from Dublin, 281 from Wexford, nine from Waterford, two from Sligo, seven from Kildare and Limerick, one from Clare and two from Louth, Mayo and Donegal.