Adam & Eve Examines Birth Control in New Poll

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C.—Adam & Eve and adameve.com surveyed more than 1000 people, asking if women should be able to choose sterilization as birth control. And the responses may surprise, the company reports. While many birth control options (condoms, spermicides, etc.) are currently available over the counter, and others (birth control pills, patches and rings) require a doctor’s prescription, permanent sterilization (tubal ligation or tubal removal) is a surgical procedure that many women still find difficult to receive from providers. Younger women, unmarried women and childless women often face obstacles when asking their doctors for permanent sterilization. In fact, only 54% (52% of males and 55% of females) of those surveyed said a woman should be able to choose sterilization at any age. Eleven percent of respondents (10% of males and 11% of females) said a woman should have access to sterilization, but only if she has already had children. Just more than 9% (13% of males and 7% of females) said a woman could choose sterilization if her partner agreed to the procedure, while 5% (4% of males and 5% of females) said a woman should not be able to choose sterilization at all. And 21% of those polled said they weren’t sure. “Access to safe, affordable birth control is both a Constitutional and human right,” stresses Dr. Jenni Skyler, PhD, LMFT, CST, and resident sexologist at Adam & Eve. “If a woman feels ignored or intimidated by her doctor, I encourage her to find another doctor who will listen to her concerns.” “Adam & Eve started over 50 years ago as a mail order condom company, and we still believe that birth control should be available without judgement,” says Chad Davis, director of marketing for Adam & Eve. “We encourage adults to explore their sexuality within their own comfort levels and boundaries and are happy to provide options and accessories for every stage of relationship.” The web-based survey, conducted by an independent third-party survey company, of more than 1,000 American adults age 18 and up, was sponsored by Adam & Eve to study sexual preferences and practices. For more information about Adam & Eve, visit adameve.com.