In 2021, pharmacies sold more than 105,000 of the emergency birth control contraception, compared with 52,000 pills in 2017, according to the Swiss Pharmacists’ Association PharmaSuisse. By the end of July 2022 alone, around 60,000 morning-after pills had been sold.
Young women are increasingly using natural contraception and using methods that are significantly less reliable, said Zurich pharmacist Leo Grossrubatscher in the Sunday articleExternal link. Gynaecologists also say that people are turning away from the contraceptive pill, the newspaper reported.
Around 30 years ago, almost 80% of women aged 15-24 took the contraceptive pill, by 2017 – the latest figures available – it was around 55%. Among those aged 25-34 years it was 39%. Other hormonal forms of contraception are also becoming less popular, the article says.
The morning-after pill is available without prescription to all women in Switzerland. However, the newspaper said there had been cases in which under 16s (16 is the age of consent in Switzerland) had been refused the morning-after pill even if it is allowed or where women had been turned away when they requested the emergency contraception.
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Swiss keep up contraception habits
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Condoms and the pill are the most common form of contraception, particularly among younger people. This is followed by the coil and sterilisation in older age groups. Only around 2% of women use the morning-after pill. A quarter of 15- to 49-year-old women take the contraceptive pill, which is slightly below the usage in Germany…
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In line with the increase in popularity – from 8,000 units sold in pharmacies in 2002 to 93,500 in 2008 – both family planners and pharmacists warn that more education is needed to ensure it does not lead to people taking more risks in sex. The emergency contraceptive pill was downgraded from a prescription drug…
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