One third of Australian women are not considering contraceptives options until more tha three months after child birth when majority of women engage in sex in the first 12 weeks post-birth, as shown in a new statistic released by health care provider Marie Stopes International Australia.

Jill Michelson, the national clinical advisor for the company,said that after childbirth, women need to consider contraceptive options as soon as, and preferably before, they re-engage in sexual intercourse. These options may be different to pre-pregnancy.

Michelson observed that many women accidentally become pregnant as soon after giving birth because they either think they will not get pregnant while they are breastfeeding or, their current contraception may not fit their new routine.

Choosing the right contraception is the first step for women to reconnect with their partners sexually after child birth. Sex therapist Jacqueline Hellyer believes that being prepared with the right contraception eases worries of getting pregnant again.

There are a variety of contraceptive options available for women after childbirth. Long-acting contraception may be particularly suitable to women seeking contraceptive options that help manage family spacing and are compatible with breastfeeding. These includes hormonal interuterine systems (IUS), implants and injections which are longterm, effective, and reversible methods of contraception suitable for breastfeeding mothers.Other progestogen only methods such as the mini-pill can also be suitable for breastfeeding mothers.

The survey also found that the overwhelming concern for women after childbirth is weight, with almost 40 percent of women crediting losing weight as their biggest personal worry after childbirth. When asked about concerns related to sex, women named physical recovery, lack of sex drive and confidence with body image as the top three concerns.