Low-cost contraceptives for under 25s

Young people will have easier access to contraception thanks to a new initiative rolled out on January 1, this year.

Under the ruling, women aged 25 and under who are affiliated to a health insurance system in Luxembourg will be able to claim back 80% of the cost of the pill for the first time.

Luxembourg Family Planning chief Dr Annane Kaddour said at the project launch on Thursday: “It's a historical day for us in Luxembourg. It's the first time that a doctor can prescribe medicine for a patient without worrying if the patient has the means to pay for it. This initiative which is a first step will permit the doctor to offer the best method of contraception for their patient. It's a chance to adapt the contraceptive to the patient, not the other way around.”

The project, dubbed “Your contraception, now more easily accessible than ever”, offers an 80% subsidy on some 71 different oral contraceptives covered by the scheme. It does not, however, cover contraceptive methods requiring medical intervention. Condoms will also be accessible at a low cost from vending machines in secondary schools.

The scheme's goal is to reduce the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies in Luxembourg as well as to educate young people about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases. While there are no official figures on the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies in Luxembourg, it is known that half of all young people aged 15 to 18 are sexually active. Meanwhile 7% of boys and 5% of girls in the same age group admitted to having never used contraception during sexual intercourse.

The health ministry said in a press release: “The number of abortions and unwanted pregnancies is high. While these facts can affect women of all ages, it's the situation of young people we're concerned with. A lot of young people have begun having sexual relations from a young age. For all sorts of reasons they do not use protection against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.”

The health reform comes after an agreement was signed on September 11, 2011 between the health minister and the Caisse Nationale de Santé.

Free contraception continues to be available to people of all ages and backgrounds from the three family planning centres in Luxembourg.