Birth control habits in Germany

Condoms are now used more than the pill

The pill and condoms remain the most important contraceptive methods in Germany, at least according to the data collected by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) in 2023. Interestingly, compared to previous surveys, condoms as a contraceptive method have even surpassed the pill for the first time. Approximately 53% of respondents use condoms, while about 38% reported taking the pill. In 2011, the ratio was exactly the opposite – nearly 53% used the pill for contraception, while 37% relied on condoms:

Line graph titled “How Germans Use Birth Control” (Source: BIÖG). It covers the period from 2011 to 2023: Use of the birth control pill drops sharply from 53% to 38%, while condoms (up to 53%), the IUD (14%), and natural family planning (up to 4%) are gaining popularity.
*In der Studie der BZgA wurden unter “natürlicher Verhütung” die Kalendermethode, die Temperaturmethode und die Schleimbeobachtung zusammengefasst. Auf Rückfrage wurde uns mitgeteilt, dass die symptothermale Methode nicht separat abgefragt wurde, was wir sehr schade finden.

So, as a contraceptive, the pill is on the decline among sexually active Germans. However, what’s particularly intriguing is when we look at specific age groups: among 18 to 29-year-olds, the number of those using the pill has actually decreased by 26 percentage points.

This statistically confirms a trend that many of our users are aware of from their surroundings – and not least from their own experience: trust in hormonal contraception is declining, and more and more young women are choosing to stop taking the pill.

So, this is what Germans think about hormonal contraception.

Part of the study also included a survey on Germans‘ attitudes towards hormonal contraception. This revealed that over half of all respondents believe that hormonal contraceptive methods…

… have a negative impact on the body

… should not be taken continuously for several years without concern

… are unsuitable for very young users.

Bar chart showing responses to the statement “Birth control using the pill or hormones has negative effects on the body and mind” (Source: BIÖG). Comparing 2018 to 2023, full agreement rose from 48% to 61%, while disagreement fell from 22% to 15%.
Bar chart showing responses to the survey statement “Contraception using the pill or hormones can be used safely for years” (Source: BIÖG). The percentage of respondents who disagree remains consistently high: 55% in 2018 and 59% in 2023. The percentage of respondents who fully agree remains low, at 20% and 22%, respectively.
Stacked bar chart on the statement “Birth control using the pill or hormones is also suitable for very young girls” (Source: BIÖG). From 2018 to 2023, disagreement with this statement rose significantly from 43% to 52%, while agreement fell from 33% to just 20%.

Why is the popularity of hormonal contraception declining?

The driving force behind the increasing skepticism is often the fear of the risks and potential side effects of artificial hormones. Some of the most common side effects include:

  •  Thrombosis
  • Migraines or headaches
  • Loss of libido
  • Depression
  • Water retention
  • Nausea and diarrhea
  • Mood swings
  • Weight gain and more

All of these side effects are often attributed to the pill, with even 9 out of 10 women reporting to have experienced them at some point.

Many young women are particularly concerned about the study results indicating that the active ingredient Dienogest/Ethinylestradiol, used in third and fourth-generation pills, is responsible for an increased risk of thrombosis. According to the studies, 8 to 11 out of 10,000 women are affected, while in the general population, it’s only 2 out of 10,000.

At the same time, it is primarily the contraceptive effectiveness that motivates women and couples to use the pill for contraception. In terms of this aspect, the pill remains largely unbeaten: the Pearl Index ranges between 0.3 and 1, meaning that out of 100 women taking the pill for a year, 0.3 to 1 become unintentionally pregnant. Especially for very young women, for whom an unintended pregnancy is a particularly threatening scenario, the comparatively simple handling with high efficacy is an important criterion.

However, women now pay significantly more attention to the tolerability of their contraceptive method when choosing, making this an increasingly important criterion and further highlighting the trend away from the pill.

Line graph titled “Criteria Germans Use to Choose Their Contraceptive Method” (Source: BIÖG). The most important factors in 2023 are safety and reliability (39%), followed by ease of use (30%). The desire for good tolerability has risen particularly sharply to 25%.

Conclusion: A difficult conflict. The trend away from the pill is now clearly visible – and given the side effects, especially in the young age group, very understandable.

A good alternative can be a contraceptive computer like trackle, which fulfills all the stated criteria:

Safe and reliable: trackle evaluates according to the symptothermal method, which has a Pearl Index of 0.4 and thus comes very close to the pill in terms of safety.
Simple, practical, and convenient: Due to the digitization of the symptothermal method, using trackle is very easy and requires little time.
Good tolerability: trackle is hormone- and copper-free, and therefore has no side effects.
Easy to obtain: trackle is available without a prescription and can be purchased here on our website.


To learn how trackle works and why hormone-free contraception is not only contemporary but also safe and easy, click here:

Sources

Der Artikel wurde zuletzt am 21.02.2024 aktualisiert.

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