With the Pill alone, there are now 23 different brands available, each suited to women’s individual lifestyles and medical histories. They end up ditching it altogether rather than facing the embarrassment of demanding something more suitable.This month, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence(Nice), the body responsible for providing advice to the NHS, is expected to tell GPs and clinics that they need to offer women more choice, especially with products that offer long-term protection, and that clinicians need more training in how to fit these devices.The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which sets standards to improve women’s health, is to publish evidence in November highlighting the lack of contraceptive choice for women.From hormone implants to the rhythm method, there are currently as many as 14 different types of contraception on offer to women in this country. Health experts say clinicians are sticking to “old favourites” of brands of contraceptive Pills, which are cheaper to prescribe than “designer” Pills.
The Family Planning Association (FPA) says that, as a result, many women are forced to put up with painful periods, water retention and problem skin because their contraception is not being tailored to alleviate these symptoms, which in some cases could be helped by new style Pills.The majority of women still bear the responsibility for contraception, but clinicians are not making their patients properly aware of long-term protection such as implants and hormone-releasing devices (IUS) because these require specialist expertise to fit.The FPA warns that women are at risk of unwanted pregnancy because they are prescribed contraception that does not suit their lifestyles. Doctors and health professionals are “duping” thousands of women by only offering them a limited range of contraception that does not include alternatives better tailored to their health and lifestyle needs.

“Civil partnership is akin to marriage and the courts are going to see it that way when a gay or lesbian couple split up.” So far, however, there have been no takers * Pink Products, tel: 0870 020 1712 or visit z. pinkproducts.co.uk; Gay Wedding Show, tel: 0870 750 4493 or visit www.gayweddingshow.co.uk; Pink Weddings, tel: 01932 571 286 or visit www. pinkweddings.biz; Fabulous Gay Weddings, tel: 020 7206 0207 or visit www.fabulousgayweddings ; Guthrie Castle, tel: 01241 828 691, or visit www.guthrie castle ; Limo Fever in Bristol, tel: 07865 261 108; Agreements.co.uk, tel: 020 7439 9555, or visit www.agreements.co.uk PROVISIONS IN THE CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT 2004 INCLUDE: A duty to provide reasonable maintenance for your civil partner and any children of the family Access to fatal accidents compensation Protection from domestic violence Recognition for immigration and nationality purposes Equitable treatment for the purposes of life insurance Recognition under intestacy rules Employment and pension benefits Civil partners are to be assessed in the same way as spouses for child support. “Inside, there’s a mirrored ceiling, disco lights, a smoke-machine and pink and purple leatherette seating It’s all done quite tastefully. I think gay people have a better laugh than some straight people We’re expecting heaps of business next year. ” Perhaps inevitably, there is also money to be made from it all going horribly wrong.

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 also introduces “gay divorce”, which will take place in court. In anticipation of this, for £350, Agreements.co.uk will furnish a couple with a legal document, which will effectively act as a “gay prenup”. “The richer partner might potentially lose up to half of his or her wealth to the poorer partner if there is a dissolution of the partnership,” warns the company’s spokesperson, Mark Andrew. “People want to formalise their commitment and it’s important that they do it in a place where it’s not just a marketing exercise. We take it very seriously and assist the couples as much as we can.” Ashley Rogers, owner of Limo Fever in Bristol, is hiring out his pink limousine to the first gay couple getting married in the city on 21 December “It glitters,” he says. It’s quite moving.” Guthrie Castle in Angus, used to holding commitment ceremonies, already has a booking from two men who are splashing out £40,000 on a knees-up for 150 guests. The ceremony will include a hawking display, fireworks and Highland warriors charging out of artificial smoke.