Condom replaces the pill as the No. 1 contraceptive
Whereas in the early 2000s more than half of adults in Germany were still using contraception with the pill, today the opposite is true. Hormonal methods have fallen into disrepute, especially among younger people.
For the first time in years, over-18s in Germany are using condoms more often than the pill. At 53%, just over half use a condom, while only 38% use the pill, according to a survey by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZGA). In 2007, it was the other way around: at that time, 55% used the pill and 36% used a condom.
The BZGA attributes this change in contraception to an increasingly critical attitude towards hormonal contraceptive methods. 61% of women and men between the ages of 18 and 49 state that contraception with hormones has "negative effects on body and soul". In 2018, this figure was only 48%.
15 percent of women using contraception justify their choice of contraceptive with a general rejection of the pill or hormonal contraception. In 2011, only one percent of women stated this.
Far fewer young women take the pill
Younger respondents in particular are critical of hormones. The decline in pill use among 18 to 29-year-olds is particularly marked - the proportion in this age group has fallen from 72% to 46% within twelve years. At the same time, significantly more young adults (18%) are now using an IUD, compared to just 3% in 2011.
Among sexually active adults, reliability is the decisive factor for 39% and ease of use for 30% when choosing a contraceptive method. For 25% of all respondents, good tolerability is now one of the most important criteria.
Overall, 70 percent of respondents use contraception. This means that the proportion has remained largely stable compared to the 2018 survey. 14% use contraception with an IUD. Only four per cent opt for male sterilization or the temperature measurement or calendar method.
Around 1,000 sexually active adults aged 18 to 49 were surveyed from August to September. The survey is conducted regularly every few years. In the most recent survey from 2018, the pill and condoms were almost evenly matched with shares of 47% and 46% respectively.
The shift towards condoms as the primary contraceptive method in Germany is not limited to adults, as it's also observed among younger generations. In 2021, only 46% of 18 to 29-year-olds use the pill, whereas 54% opt for condoms, according to data from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZGA).
In response to the growing criticism towards hormonal contraceptive methods, the BZGA has seen an increase in requests for information about alternative contraceptives, such as condoms, at their international health education center.
Source: www.ntv.de
