ONE in four single women and almost one in five separated, divorced or widowed women are sexually active, according to an ESRI report on women's health.
The survey also found that three out of four women believe that pre natal tests to show if a baby has an abnormality should be available in Irish hospitals. Such a service exists in only one Irish hospital, the Rotunda where it was introduced only this year. A motion opposing such tests was recently passed at the annual conference of the Irish Medical Union.
Another finding is that one in four women does not know at what stage in her menstrual cycle she is likely to get pregnant.
Launching the report, Women and Heath Care in Ireland, by Dr Miriam Wiley and Mr Barry Merriman of the ESRI, the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, said it showed that women may be more open and progressive about certain services than previously assumed.
The Minister pointed out that four out of every five women believe that condoms should be widely available in Ireland and that sterilisation should be available to both women and men in all publicly funded hospitals.
Although the 3,000 women sampled varied widely in terms of both geography and needs, they said broadly the same kinds of things. He said his Department was now preparing a plan on women's health, and he would shortly be launching a national cancer strategy.
Dr Wiley said the survey highlighted serious gaps in basic information available to many women. These gaps were most prevalent among the most disadvantaged women, those with less education and those out of work.
Among the major findings in the report were that 29 per cent of Irish women smoke regularly, and 45 per cent of these continue to smoke while pregnant.
Two thirds of Irish women are sexually active. This includes 90 per cent of married women, 26 per cent of single women, and 18 per cent of separated, divorced or widowed women. One third of the sexually active married women do not use any form of family planning, compared with one in 10 single women.
However, only half the women surveyed consider that family planning advice is easily accessible in their area, and as many as one in four in certain areas would not seek family planning advice locally. Condoms and the combined pill are the most popular forms of family planning.