Birth control in France

There are many types of contraceptive methods available in France.

History and important dates

The legalization of birth control occurred in France in 1967, with the commercialization of the contraceptive pill. The Neuwirth Law legalized the free prescription of the contraceptive pill.

In 1973 the Movement for the Freedom of Abortion and Contraception (MLAC) was created. Then, in 1974 the pill is reimbursed by the social security system in France.

In 1999 he morning-after pill (or emergency contraception pill) is available in pharmacies without prescription. And two years later in 2001, the law of the Aubry law by the Parliament on abortion in France and contraception was finally adopted. The statutory period for abortion is fixed to 12 weeks and not only 10. Minors can be accompanied by an adult of their choice to obtain an abortion.

Laws and Policies

In France, you need a prescription to obtain hormonal birth control. According to some accounts, French pharmacies accept foreign prescriptions.

• December 2015 : With the Health Act law by Marisol Tourraine, no questions will be asked and the potentially abortive “emergency contraceptive,” heavily laced with hormones, will be administered by school nurses, regardless of the “state of emergency” or “distress” of the young girl.
• October 26, 2017 : A bill extends free contraception to all minors aged 15 to 18. The goal of putting greater free access to contraception in place is to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, and thus the number of abortions, in France.
• French law on modernization of the health system: Young girls will unconditionally be able to obtain morning after pills in secondary school infirmaries without parental consent or notification.

Different means of contraception in France

The different means of contraception are the following :

• Pill : It is the most famous and the most used mean of contraception in France.
• Implant: It is a little stick put in place under the skin. The implant contains the same hormones as contraceptive pills. These hormones are diffused directly into the blood and suppresses ovulation. The advantages of this kind of contraception are that it is easy to put in place, efficient and discreet. It is possible to keep the same implant for approximately 3 years.
• Patch: The patch can be used for 4 consecutive weeks and should be applied on the stomach, on the shoulders or in the lower back. It should never be applied near a breast.
• Condom : male or female condom
• Spermicide are substances, in the form of gel or eggs inserted in the vagina, which inactivate or destroy the spermatozoa.
• Intrauterine device (IUD) : There are copper IUD or hormonal IUD.
• Injectable contraceptive is a synthetic progestin (medroxyprogesterone) is injected intramuscularly every three months.
• Diaphragm : Generally in latex or silicone, it slides into the vagina, in contact with the cervix, to prevent the passage of sperm to the inside of the uterus.
• Vaginal ring is a flexible porous plastic ring that contains a combination of estrogen and progestin. The advantage compared to the pill is not to forget it.
• Sterilization can be a female or a male sterilization (vasectomy). It is definitive.
• Natural methods: Ogino method, temperatures method, Billings method, withdrawal

You also have emergency contraception :

• The morning after pill : it must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex
• Intrauterine device (IUD) : they can also be use as an emergency contraception which can be used up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy.

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  A brand of birth control Pills in France
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  Plate of birth control pills
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  Vaginal Ring
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  Patch
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  Cream and Eggs Spermicides