The analysis reveals that 68% of young Portuguese people “are using a [contraceptive] method or at least their partner is”, which makes Portugal the second country with the highest result on the list, surpassed only by Spain, with 69%.

“The fact that young people are more familiar with condoms and the pill ends up reflecting the knowledge of the general population,” highlights Mara Carvalho, from the Portuguese Family Planning Association (APF), cited in a note.

According to the essay by the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), young Portuguese people “seem to have no major doubts” about what a male condom is (86% know it well) and the contraceptive pill (91%).

“The contraceptive pill was a historic milestone in Sexual and Reproductive Health, traditionally with good levels of acceptance and adherence by women, and the condom has had great visibility in the public space in recent decades, largely in relation to the prevention of STIs [Sexually Transmitted Infections]”, highlights Mara Carvalho.

The study of awareness about contraceptives among young people aged 18 to 30 in 15 countries indicates that knowledge “is much lower” when it comes to other alternatives, such as the contraceptive patch (28%), injection (30%), implant (49%), vaginal ring (57%) or IUD (59%).

“The lack of knowledge about other methods, such as patches, injections or implants, clearly indicates that it is necessary to improve young people’s sexual and reproductive health literacy, enabling them to better experience their sexuality,” adds the APF spokesperson.

The data shows that, without “great surprise”, the contraceptives most used by the Portuguese are the pill (47%) and the male condom (42%).

Methods such as the intrauterine device (IUD) are only used by 3% of respondents, the implant by 2% and the patch by the same percentage.

In turn, for 32% of those interviewed, “there is no doubt” that there is a lack of knowledge about contraceptives among young people in Portugal, configuring the main barrier to access identified to a greater diversity of methods, as well as the fact that health professionals do not consider all options during consultations (25%).

To change this reality, Mara Carvalho proposes “generalizing access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) care”, reinforcing the scientific knowledge base, improving health literacy, ensuring training for teachers and health professionals and activating information and support offices for education in schools.

Regarding sources of information, the Internet is the main one (30%), followed by family doctors (22%) and gynecologists (15%), school also appears on this list, being important for 15% of young people.

Success story

The EPF also shows in the European Atlas of Contraception Policies that Portugal “emerges as a success story in Europe” when “it comes to looking at national policies”.

In the map that includes the assessment of policies on access to contraceptives, advice on family planning and provision of online information on contraception in 47 countries in the European region, Portugal appears as the 4th best, with 91.2% (on a scale of 0 to 100%).

The free provision of “many contraceptives” (including long-term methods) in the Unified Health System (SUS) allows the general population to have access to contraception.