Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Working Group on Access to Contraception: Discussion

Dr. Caitriona Henchion:

It definitely can be. I have seen people who went to the doctor to arrange to have a Mirena coil inserted and got a prescription but who are now pregnant because they could not afford to buy the device in the pharmacy. After an abortion, young people for whom cashflow might be an issue might decide they definitely want an implant but, because they cannot get the money from parents or others, are not in a position to go ahead with that. They make a responsible decision but are unable to act on it.