IThe VIII National Women’s Health Day was celebrated on April 22, 2023. For the occasion, the decision by the Medicines Agency (AIFA) to make free contraceptive pill in all age groups up to 45 years.
Free pill already for some women and in 6 Regions
Dr. Raffaela Di Pace is a gynecologist specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology, with a PhD in Pathophysiology of Menopause.
Actually the pill is already available free of charge in six Italian regions (Lazio -Emilia Romagna-Tuscany-Piedmont-Puglia-Marche-Trentino) but only for girls up to 26 years of age, for women who are unemployed or affected by the economic crisis and for those who have recently made a voluntary termination of pregnancy.
In Emilia Romagna, free admission has been applied since 1 January 2018, and the number of voluntary abortions has dropped in women under 26 from 1949 in 2017 to 1437 in 2021.
Free pill up to 45 years
According to Istat data, 62% of the population between 18 and 54 years uses a method to plan or prevent a pregnancy but 20% still relies on unsafe methods such as coitus interruptus. L’extension to the whole national territory and up to 45 years of age represents an important decision that should increase the number of women using safe and reliable contraception such as the pill.
The prescription requirement remains
According to AIFA, the pill will be free for all women up to the age of 45, but the prescription obligation will remain. The disposable pills have been evaluated, within three categories of contraceptive drugs, identified and divided by age group: the least expensive products will be made free. The cost estimate for the State is 140 million Euros per year, but it is a step forward to allow for expand the audience of women who did not have access to this method due to the excessive cost.
Low birth rate: the opinion of women
Paradoxically, Italy is one of the countries with the lowest birth rate in Europe. According to a recent study by the Bicocca University of Milan, 50% of Italian women declare that the most a big obstacle to the idea of motherhood is represented by the difficulty of reconciling work and family. There should be many and other policies that can allow women to arrive at the idea of having children with serenity, supported by policies to support parenthood and the family, but access to a safe method of contraception is a fundamental step in planning a responsible motherhood.
Is there still distrust of the pill?
In Europe, Italy is in 26th place for the number of women taking hormonal contraception, far from neighboring countries by geography and culture such as France or Spain. Only about 20% of Italian women use this method with large differences between regions, going from 33% of Sardinian women to 7% of those from Campania.
Although at the basis of this data there are cultural reasons and lack of information, the price and the difficulty of accessibility certainly play an important role.
Il the price of the pills on the market varies from 4 to 20 euros per pack and for some women. Especially young girls, this is a reason not to take or not to continue this method.
Free condom: the next step?
Faced with a very low number of young people and adolescents who use condoms, it would be useful, especially in these age groups where economic means are more scarce, to also think about the free distribution of condoms for protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
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