Paris (AFP)

Contraception, already available free of charge for young girls, will soon also be available for women up to and including 25 years old, the government announced on Thursday, a measure widely welcomed by doctors and Family Planning.

From January 1, 2022, the Health Insurance will cover "100% and third-party payment", all the costs necessary for contraception for the three million young women potentially concerned: one consultation per year with a doctor or a doctor. midwife, the related biological examinations, as well as the contraceptives itself: "certain contraceptive pills, contraceptive implants, intrauterine devices" (also called IUDs), diaphragms and hormonal emergency contraception, specified the Ministry of Health.

Olivier Véran justified this measure by stressing that contraception was "on the decline" among young women, and that "the first reason is giving up for financial reasons".

It is "unbearable" that "women cannot protect themselves (...) because it costs them too much", insisted the minister on France 2.

This device, which will cost 21 million euros per year, will be put in place until the age of 25, an age at which young women gain "more autonomy", explained Mr. Véran.

Several doctors' organizations, as well as Family Planning, welcomed this announcement, while stressing that other measures would still be necessary to guarantee wide access to contraception.

For Bertrand de Rochambeau, president of Syngof (main union of gynecologists), the measure is all the more useful as it is aimed at women in "the most fertile period of their life": "they have the activity most important sexuality, but many are struggling to make ends meet, ”he observed.

- "real progress -

However, the financial aspect is "not the only obstacle" to contraception, because the "young generation is wary of oral contraception and the impact it can have on the body", he regretted.

Former president of the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians, Prof. Israel Nisand also hailed on France Info a "real advance", which will notably benefit female students with "few means".

The money, however, is only "secondary" in the non-use of contraception, he added.

Advancing access to contraception is a necessity, according to him, because with "15,000 abortions (per year) in those under 18 and 90,000 in those under 24", "we missed a step, there is Something is wrong!"

he exclaimed.

Free education is "necessary", said the National Order of Midwives, but it must be accompanied by a policy of raising awareness of sexual health, which should also apply to men.

Same positive reaction for Dr. Julia Maruani, of the National Federation of Colleges of Medical Gynecology, who however considers it a pity that the government has not included in its new device the reimbursement of so-called "third generation" pills, which have been delisted since 2013. "This is a real problem, because current pills are not suitable for all," she said.

Family Planning, a feminist association which has been campaigning since 1960 for the right to contraception and abortion, also welcomed this announcement, while calling for a "major national information campaign" on contraception and a more comprehensive policy. proactive in sex education.

In addition, argued Sarah Durocher, its co-chair, it would be unfortunate if the government made this progress to make people forget that it has for the moment given up on extending the legal deadline for abortions from 12 to 14 weeks - a measure called for however, feminist associations have been around for a long time.

Free contraception has already been granted since 2013 to young girls between 15 and 18 years of age, whose rate of abortion (voluntary termination of pregnancy) has since dropped significantly, from 9.5 to 6 per 1,000 between 2012 and 2018. Since August 2020, it has been extended to children under 15.

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