BOOTS the chemist in Dublin is receiving around SO inquiries a day about a new contraceptive device. It measures a woman's hormone levels, indicating the days on which she is most likely to get pregnant.
The Unipath device - called's Persona - will not be available here until next spring. Ms Rita Torrans, pharmacy manager at Boots in Dublin, said Persona was available from its stores in Belfast and Derry and cost £49.95 sterling. "We are getting around 50 inquiries every day about the device," she said.
Persona was launched in the UK on October 1st and works as a "contraceptive system". A Unipath spokeswoman said it works by measuring oestrogen and hormone levels. "A hand held monitor builds up a picture of a woman's monthly cycle and uses a red light to indicate when she needs to avoid sex or use a barrier method," she said.
A urine test eight times a month is read by the monitor "to give either a red or green light. The device also indicates when these tests should be carried out by showing a yellow light," she said.
Trials to find out the reliability of the device carried out in England, Germany and Ireland found Persona to be 95 per cent reliable. Research carried out here by Prof John Bonnar, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Trinity College, Dublin, also showed 95 per cent reliability.
However, it was found that Persona could not be used with certain medication, including the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement treatment (HRT) and that it was only suitable for women with a 23 to 35 day cycle.
A spokeswoman for the Irish Family Planning Association said no method of contraception was 100 per cent reliable. She thought the device would "become very popular with the back up of a barrier method, such as condoms" and would "cut down on a lot of unnecessary morning after pills".