Tomorrow September 26th is "World Contraceptive Day", an international campaign to reduce unintended pregnancies.



Given that the number of contraceptive methods in Japan is limited compared to other countries, a new movement has begun to popularize contraceptive methods that women can use independently.

Contraceptive methods are biased towards men in Japan

国連の発表によりますと日本の避妊の方法は男性用コンドームが75％で女性が使う経口避妊薬、「低用量ピル」は6％にとどまっていて、欧米では低用量ピルが31％、男性用コンドームは25％、女性が子宮内に装着する避妊具が14％などとなっているのに比べて、日本では男性が行う避妊方法に偏っています。



男性が避妊に応じず意図しない妊娠や中絶につながるケースも少なくないとして、日本でも女性が主体的に使える避妊方法の普及にむけた動きが出てきています。



国際機関で働く福田和子さん（26）は、海外では低用量ピルを薬局で買えたり、若者に無料で提供したりする国もあるほか、日本で承認されていない体に埋め込むインプラントや貼るパッチなど多様な方法があると知り、日本の避妊の課題を発信するプロジェクトを立ち上げました。



現在は、シンクタンク「日本医療政策機構」のアドバイザーとなり、若い人が性について気軽に話せる場所を都内の大学近くのカフェスペースに7か所開設するための準備に携わっています。



カフェでは多様な避妊方法を発信しコンドームを無料で配布するほか、専門家にも相談できるようにするということです。



また福田さんは欧米の教育現場で活用されている避妊具に触れて学ぶための「避妊キット」を日本向けに開発していて、性感染症の知識や相談先の情報を盛り込んだ冊子と合わせて、高校の保健室などに配布することにしています。



福田さんは「日本では女性が避妊することへの偏見や話しにくい風潮がまだあります。避妊は女性たちの健康やキャリア、未来を守るために最低限必要な権利の話だと理解してもらえれば、値段の高さや種類の少なさも変わっていくと思います。若いころから避妊について知ることができ、安心安全な環境で話せる場やサポートする人たちが増えていくことが必要だと思います」と話しています。

Unintentionally pregnant women "I want more ways to protect my body"

A woman who had two unintended pregnancies without being contraceptive by a man she was dating said, "I want more means of contraception so that women can protect their bodies."



A 46-year-old woman living in the Kyushu region was forced to have an abortion at the age of 23 because she was persistently asked by her dating partner to have sexual intercourse without contraception and became pregnant without refusal.



My second pregnancy was at the age of 29, when I got a qualification and started working at a medical institution.



He said he had prepared a condom himself and carried it with him because he didn't want to have an abortion again, but he said that he was repeatedly asked to have sexual intercourse without contraception by the man he was dating at the time.



About that time, the woman said, "I should have refused because I could break up, but I also thought that I had to get married by the age of 30, and I was impatient that if I parted from this person, I might not be able to find a partner anymore. There was. "



The woman who became pregnant again gave up her career and chose to marry and give birth, but the self-loathing feeling that she could not give her opinion and the stubbornness of her husband who did not contracept her still remain. say.



At the time, women had only vague knowledge about low-dose pills that could be contraceptive by drinking, and thought that they were "not easy to use," so they said that condoms were the only method of contraception.



A woman said, "I'm still very disappointed that I was at the mercy of my life because I didn't decide for myself. There are many things that make it difficult for me to live as a woman, but contraception is one of them. I think I'll be confident. I want my teenage daughter to have an environment where she can associate with confidence that she can protect her body. "

One in four women "difficult to tell the other person"

In Japan, the choice of contraceptive methods for women is limited, and according to an NGO survey, about 1 in 4 women who had sexual intercourse without contraception answered that it was "difficult to tell the other person", and 1 in 6 said " I said I wanted to use contraception, but the other person didn't do it. "



In July, Joysef, an NGO working to improve women's health, conducted a sexual awareness survey on the Internet and received responses from more than 5,300 people aged 15 to 64.



As a result, 33% of the younger generation between the ages of 15 and 29 answered that they had had sexual activity without contraception when they did not want to become pregnant. 23% said they wanted to use contraception, but 16% said they didn't.



On the other hand, when it comes to women's contraception, about 25% of men and women of all generations said "I think it's natural", but 37% of men aged 30 to 64 said "I think it's ideal". The percentage was 43% for women, 47% for men aged 15 to 29, and 51% for women, which was higher in the younger generation.



According to the NGO "Joyceph", "In particular, regarding sex, there are many cases where men and women are not on an equal footing, and we have to rely on men for contraception. It seems that women are particularly positive about contraception, especially in the younger generation, and both men and women are positive, and it seems that more and more women are thinking about contraception on their own initiative. "

Country boosts popularity in Europe

In Europe, with the support of the government, contraceptive methods that women can use independently are becoming widespread.



In the United Kingdom and France, the government is working to popularize contraceptive methods that women can use independently, such as making oral contraceptives and "low-dose pills" free of charge, and is accelerating measures.



Of these, the UK approved low-dose pills in 1961, about 40 years earlier than Japan, and is now available free of charge to anyone with a prescription.



However, due to the influence of the new coronavirus, medical institutions became tight, and there were increasing calls for sales at pharmacies, saying that it was difficult to make reservations and obtain prescriptions.



In response to these voices, British officials announced in July that they would relax regulations to allow some low-dose pills to be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription.



In addition, French Health Minister Belan announced this month that all contraceptives will be free for women up to the age of 25 starting next year.



In France, it is free for minors and the target is expanded.



Health Minister Belan said that many women hesitate to use contraceptives because of their financial burden, and that expanding the scope of free of charge will help prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions. ..



Emma Chan, a doctor at a women's organization working to popularize correct contraceptive methods, mainly in the United Kingdom, said, "The more diverse contraceptive methods there are, the less unintended pregnancies and abortions. There are a wide range of options from the perspective of women's rights. It's very important. "