Green signal for sex

Thought to be at least as reliable as condoms, the world's first electronic contraceptive expected to go on sale this year displays a green light when it is safe to have sex. Independent experts supervising trials of the Unipath Personal Contraceptive System say it could transform family planning, offering millions of women an alternative to the pill with no risk to health. It is not a physical contraceptive and provides computer-guided advice on when to abstain from sex. Conversely, it is also seen as an aid to those women who are trying to become pregnant, because it acts as an accurate fertility indicator. During the past year, the system developed by Unipath, the medical division of Unilever, has been tested by 1500 women in Europe. Preliminary results suggest that its reliability falls between that of condoms, which the WHO says are 88% safe on average, and the pill (98.2%). Unipath plans to charge about 80 pounds plus another pound for a month's supply of sticks. The Family Planning Association, which praised the system, expressed reservations about the cost and did not see it "knocking the pill off its perch." John Guillebaud, Medical Director, Margaret Pyke Family Planning Center in London, said: "It could be as good as the condom, but will be very unforgiving if the user breaks the rules."