One third of Irish couples would ban Valentine’s Day

Irish survey also finds that ONE IN FOUR people prefer not to celebrate the romantic day

With more and more people choosing not to celebrate the day synonymous with roses, chocolate and love messages, research has found that despite Cupid’s best efforts, ten percent of couples have split up on Valentine’s Day.[i] 30% of couples who do stay together have opted to ban the day entirely and it’s not just couples who are moving on from the day. 85% of singletons stated that not having a date on Valentine’s Day wouldn’t matter to them at all and one third of them would even celebrate it with their friends.1

Commenting on the results, psychotherapist and relationship expert, Trish Murphy said “It’s not surprising that overall 1 in 10 couples have split up on Valentine’s Day. It can be a time for couples to take stock of their relationship and determine if it’s what they want. Couples often go through the motions in a relationships that has lost its ‘spark’ so sometimes it takes a poignant event to re-evaluate what they both want from their relationship.”

The survey, which was launched as part of a campaign to educate young women on long-acting contraception options, revealed some interesting insights into the views around relationships and Valentine’s Day. The study showed that 1 in 4 Irish people preferred not to celebrate the day.1

When asked what they disliked most about Valentine’s Day, more than one third of survey respondent’s pinpointed overpriced flowers and hiked up restaurant prices as the worst clichés, closely followed by complaints of ‘listening to other people brag about how amazing their Valentine’s Day was.’1

“Valentines can often create a lot of pressure for couples and singletons, so it’s perhaps not surprising that men and women are opting out of the festivities. As with any relationship, keeping it fresh requires a certain level of spontaneity and willingness to consider and try new things – rather than just following the status quo,” said Trish Murphy.

“When it comes to long-lasting love, Valentine’s Day should not be the only time of year to make an effort in your relationship. Couples should always spend time together that is fun and light-hearted. Having lots of affection and cuddling goes a long way to making us feel good and we should not be shy about giving our partners compliments all year round.”

The #YourPerfectMatch campaign aims to overcome the current knowledge gap that exists among younger women in Ireland between 20-29 years, around Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) methods. The campaign is organised by Bayer HealthCare who want to inspire women to own all the decisions in their lives, including their decision about contraception.

Ireland AM GP, Dr Sinead Beirne observed that: “Women in their 20s are not afraid of making their own decisions. Yet, we know that women aren’t reflecting on contraception with the same thoroughness they approach all the other impactful decisions in their life.The contraceptive method that was right for them years ago, mainly the pill in Europe, may not necessarily be the one that’s the best fit for them now.”[ii]

Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) which include the hormonal IUS, copper IUD, the injection & the implant, are some of the most effective forms of contraception available, offering freedom from the daily routine of having to remember to take a pill. They also offer long-lasting and effective protection against pregnancy for up to 10 years (depending on the product) and are reversible, meaning, that once removed, fertility will return to previous levels.

“We want to help educate  women about the current LARC methods available so they are empowered and better informed to make an active decision, together with their healthcare professional, about their perfect match in contraception,” said Dr Beirne.

For more information about contraception options, log onto: www.mycontraception.ie

More Information about LARC:

Intrauterine methods, the hormonal injection and the hormonal implant are available for long acting protection, and are highly effective for up to three, five or 10 years (depending on the product). They’re reversible, meaning that once removed, fertility returns to previous levels.

LARC options give women freedom from contraceptive routine and are the most effective methods of reversible contraception because their effectiveness doesn’t depend on women remembering to take them daily for them to work best. There are several options available, so for women considering LARC, it is recommended they take the time to talk to their healthcare professional about the options that are right for them.

The Contraceptive CHOICE Project, reviewed the contraceptive choices of 9,256 women aged between 14 and 45 years, wanting to avoid pregnancy for at least one year. The study found that when knowledge and financial barriers to access are removed around LARC methods among women considering a new contraception, 75% would choose LARC methods over other available options.[iii]

About Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 18.9 billion (2013), is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover, develop, manufacture and market products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 56,000 employees (Dec 31, 2013) and is represented in more than 100 countries. More information is available at www.healthcare.bayer.com.