Gill: Pregnancy testing increases after Carnival

By Linda Straker

Executive Director of the Grenada Planned Parenthood Association, Jeanine Gill, recently disclosed that there is often an increase in the number of pregnancy tests done in the association’s clinic during the first two weeks after the staging of Carnival and the other festivals observed during the month of August.

“What this is showing is that sexually active persons would have engaged in risky behaviour and unprotected sex and thus they own concern about becoming pregnant with an unwanted child,” said Gill, who explained that proper use of a condom during sex not only protects against pregnancies, but other unwanted things such as sexual diseases and infections.

Though not providing comparative data for year or month, Gill made the disclosure while deliv-ering remarks at the launch of a documentary produced by PSI, which focuses on the activities of its 2013 brand ambassadors. The ambassadors had the opportunity to experience Grenada’s 2013 Carnival and as part of the prize trip, they had to use the opportunity to engage artistes and young persons in
discussions that focus on the impact of music on the behaviour of young people.

Interviewing a cross-section of popular artistes such as Tallpree, Juice and others, the entertainers during various interviews with the brand ambassadors were of the belief that the lyrics in some of the songs can affect the behaviour of party-goers and those who attend fetes, not just during Carnival season but year-round.

Recommending that condoms be used properly and safely, Tallpree was one of the entertainers whose message was to “use a condom every time and play it safe”. The documentary, which is almost 110 minutes, is expected to be shown on local television stations as part of PSI’s wider goal to encourage the use of condoms among sexually active persons.