Free oral contraceptives for adolescent girls – the recommendation is coming true weekly
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.52495Abstract
The Action Programme for Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health (2007–2011) recommended that oral contraceptives (OC) should be provided free of charge for those under 20 years of age. A self-administered questionnaire (the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey) was sent to a representative sample of 14–18-year-olds in 2009 and 2011. The subjects were asked about their current use of oral contraceptives, the duration of the use, and if the present OC were free of charge. Of the 14-year-olds, 3% used OC, of the 16-year-olds 22% and of the 18-year-olds 42%. The OC were provided free of charge for 51% of the 14-year-olds, 34% of the 16-year-olds, but only for 17% of the 18-year-olds. There was no difference between the study years. When the length of the OC use was 1-3 months, 77% of the girls had got them free but when the length was over six months only 9%. Our results indicate that an adolescent who is beginning to use OC get them free of charge for the first 3 – 6 months only. In terms of regional differences, in Uusimaa and particularly in the capital city area OCs were provided free of charge less often than in other parts of the country.
