WORLDWIDE CONTACT US ABOUT US PRODUCTS RESEARCH LICENSING NEWSROOM CAREERS INVESTORS Home MERCK’S RULE THE REAL TALK CAMPAIGN About Us Corporate Responsibility Reimbursement Support and Patient Assistance Programs Leadership Board of Directors Executive Committee Our Work How We Operate Code of Conduct Compliance Privacy Transparency and Privacy Internet Privacy Policy Cookie Privacy Commitment Cross Border Policy Employment Privacy & Data Protection Diversity Employee Diversity Supplier Diversity Views and Positions Access and Affordability Access to Investigational Medicines Innovation Quality and Safety Sales and Marketing Responsible Public Policy and Advocacy Our History Our People Featured Stories A Merck survey reveals women avoid crucial conversations about their reproductive health with partners and doctors, including discussions about birth control options. Taking the initiative to have important conversations about sexual health can be difficult sometimes. However, when it comes to a woman’s health, it is important for women to be enthusiastic and speak openly with their partners and doctors. To help women spark these important conversations about sexual health, Merck launched an educational campaign called “Rule the Real Talk” with Dr. Logan Levkoff, a relationship and sex expert, and Dr. Rebecca Brightman, an OB-GYN and women’s health expert. This campaign is designed to help women foster these relationships with their partners and doctors by teaching them how to have important conversations about sexual health. Survey Findings The majority of women (71 percent) who work to keep their relationship healthy do so by making time to communicate with their partner. Only three in 10 of all women (31 percent) feel concerned about sexual health at least some of the time. Almost three in 10 women (29 percent) admit they typically rely on their doctor to initiate discussions about birth control options. One in three women in a relationship (31 percent) rarely or never talk to their partner about sexual health. Almost one in four women (24 percent) feel uncomfortable discussing their sexual history with their doctors. These findings further highlight the importance of women having open, honest conversations with their doctors, and working together to explore various options for birth control and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Survey Methodology The Merck Contraception Survey was conducted by Kelton between October 8 and October 29, 2014 among 2,015 American women ages 18-40 including 1,005 current birth control users and 1,010 non-current birth control users, using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. SHARE: Copyright © 2009-2016 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statement Privacy Terms of Use Site Map