Prague, Jan 22 (CTK) – The number of Czech women using hormonal contraception and along with it, the number of its packagings placed on the market, was falling in the past decade, according to the data of the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (UZIS) released to CTK.
Roughly one-half of Czech women in the childbearing age use some form of contraception.
The use and deliveries to the market culminated in 2007 when 3.49 million packagings of hormonal contraception for roughly 1.16 billion crowns were put up for sale.
In the year, contraception was used by 1.38 million women, which was 547 out of 1,000 women aged 15-49.
Most women preferred classical contraceptives (1.22 million) to various forms of intrauterine devices (165,532 women).
Since then, the deliveries and number of women using them have been diminishing.
By 2015, the deliveries fell by about one-quarter to 2.61 million packagings. Their value without VAT and the overcharge was 1.03 billion crowns two years ago.
The number of women with contraception fell by roughly 8 percent by 2013, the data said.
In recent years, there has been a growing use of emergency birth control.
Between 2008 and 2011, its deliveries did not exceed 47,000 packagings, while the number surged to 77,000 packagings worth 29.5 million crowns last year.
Since roughly mid-2015, this type of contraception has been sold without any limitations in pharmacies.
Doctors are split over the use of contraceptives. Some are against their being prescribed for adolescents, warning of later problems with fertility. Other experts deny the argument.
($1 = 25.414 crowns)
