In may a report by the united nations Children's Fund found the UK teenage pregnancy rate to be second only to that in the United States, while abortion rates - particularly among women in their 20s and 30s - continue to rise.
"Contraceptive advice and services may be formally available, but in a closed atmosphere of embarrassment and secrecy," the report concluded, quoting one British teenager as saying: "It sometimes seems as if sex is compulsory but contraception has failed."
Another explanation for the trend can be found in the use of the contraceptive pill. Between 40 and 60 per cent of the 3.5million women who use it give it up within two years. In the majority of cases, this is due to the side effects of weight gain and poor skin conditions such as acne.
There have also been safety questions regarding the pill. Studies in 1995 claimed that women taking it were more likely to suffer blood clots - a finding which was later exposed as unfounded.
A review by the World Health Organisation found that women were twice as likely to suffer from cervical cancer if they used the contraceptive for more than five years.
However two new versions of the drug have been licensed which counter the problems that are likely to lead to a woman abandoning the pill. Both Yasmin and Dianette, released for use in the UK in April, have been found in studies to improve a woman's skin and hair condition, with some patients experiencing weight loss while taking it.
"We welcome this new pill as extending contraceptive choice for women," said a spokesman for the Family Planning Association. "Its suitability remains a matter for discussion between an individual woman and her doctor."
However this is where another problem can occur: whereas a three-month supply of Yasmin costs the NHS £14.70 and £13 for Dianette, Microgynon, a traditional contraceptive pill, costs £2.40 and Mercilon costs £8.50.
In many cases women will not be able to access the new contraceptive pill due to the cost to the NHS. "Most family planning clinics are run through health trusts and have a very limited pharmacy budget and it's difficult to get anything new on board," said Dr Diana Mansour, head of fertility services for Newcastle on Tyne.
Another barrier to the new pill came shortly after its launch, when new contracts for general practitioners included a clause allowing practices, under certain circumstances, to opt out of providing services such as contraception advice, as well as cervical screening and immunisation services.
The British Medical Association welcomed the change. "There is a dire shortage of GPs and they are being asked to do too much work with insufficient resources," said chairman of the GP committee Dr John Chisholm.
"The new current situation simply cannot go on. The new contract framework allows GPs to control their workload, but patients can be assured that when they are ill they will be treated," he said.
The suggestion was also praised by the Royal College of General Practitioners. "Enabling GPs to choose the level of service which they offer will ease workload pressures whilst allowing them to work on improving the quality of the service they offer to patients," said chairman Professor David Haslam.
However politicians have condemned such a move as "deeply disturbing".
"This shows how short staffed the NHS is. Patients will be faced with a maze of treatment outlets. This is not so much reform as regression," said Liberal Democrat health spokesman Dr Evan Harris. The result of a GP vote on the proposal is expected this July.
A lack of information is also considered a factor in the high number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions - particularly concerning the controversial morning after pill.
Misinformation could go part of the way in explaining the high abortion rate - many women are simply unaware that the morning after pill can be taken up to 72 hours after intercourse.However research by the British Medical Journal earlier this year found that lessons in emergency contraception did not lead to an increase of its use among teenage girls - or increase their sexual activity - despite estimates that such lessons could reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies by 75 per cent.
However a more central problem is that of the "contraception contradiction". The cost to patients of the contraceptive pill or the morning after pill is dependent upon where it is obtained.
Whereas a chemist will charge women for the price of the drug and a prescription comes with a charge, should a woman go to a family planning clinic, such services are completely free. A course of the morning after pill, for example, can cost £20 over the counter, £6.20 if prescribed by a doctor or nothing if provided by the clinic.
The Family Planning Association called for the discrepancy to be rectified in September last year, when the government published its sexual health strategy. "Whilst FPA welcomes the government's identification of HIV, chlamydia screening and abortion services for immediate action, the strategy must also include practical measures to urgently redress the imbalance in access to contraceptive advice and methods," an FPA spokesperson said. "As a preliminary measure, the government should take advantage of the opportunity to commission detailed research into patterns of provision to provide a clearer picture of what is required nationally and locally."
Dr Jenny Tonge, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, is a former family planning doctor and a member of the All-Party Pro-Choice Group. She was involved in the campaign to make the morning after pill available over the counter. "It releases women from doctors," she said, "women can control their own fertility."
However she felt that the charge for the morning after pill, though too high, was justified due to the large number of NHS services offering the medication for free. "I would like very much for the cost to be brought down," she said, suggesting a reduction from £20 to £10.
While there are many new, effective, forms of regular and emergency contraception on the market, whether they will be available to all women is another question.
