Report

The female contraceptive market is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the growth of the studied market in its initial phase owing to the disruption in the supply chains of contraceptives. For instance, according to an article published in March 2022 in Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, it was observed that the use of long-acting contraceptives decreased with implants by 76%, intrauterine systems by 79%, and intrauterine devices by 76% during the initial phase of a pandemic. Also, according to United Nations Population Fund's data published in March 2021, the COVID-19 epidemic disrupted family planning services for an estimated 12 million women, resulting in 1.4 million unplanned pregnancies. However, the market has gradually increased in the last few years due to rising awareness regarding contraception use and access to the same in the later period of the pandemic.

Certain factors that are propelling the market growth are increasing incidences of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), increasing rates of unintended pregnancies, and rising government initiatives.

The number of unwanted pregnancies is increasing globally, and it is a matter of serious concern all around the world. For instance, according to the United Nations Population Fund, in March 2022, unintended pregnancies accounted for about half of all pregnancies worldwide, with 121 million occurring each year. As per the same source, over 60% of unplanned pregnancies end in abortion, with an estimated 45% of all abortions being unsafe, resulting in 5%-13% of all maternal fatalities, putting the world's capacity to meet the "Sustainable Development Goals" at risk. Additionally, according to the article published in the BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2021 by Nebamallika Dahingia, unintended pregnancies affect approximately 85 million women worldwide, with India accounting for more than 1 in every 7 of these cases. In addition, as per the same source, Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state (population of approximately 200 million), has twice the unwanted fertility rate as compared to the rest of the country. Thus, the rising number of unintended pregnancies is expected to boost the female contraceptive market over the forecast period.

In addition, the rising prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among the population is expected to increase market growth. For instance, as per the data published by the WHO in November 2021, more than 1.0 million sexually transmitted infections are acquired every day globally and most of them are asymptomatic. It also reported that every year there are an estimated 374.0 million new infections with 1 out of 4 sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and syphilis. Thus, the high burden of sexually transmitted diseases is expected to increase the demand for contraception to avoid getting diseases, thereby propelling the market growth.

Furthermore, the strategic initiatives by market players also contribute to market growth. For instance, in December 2021, Gedeon Richter Unite Kingdom Ltd became a marketing authorization holder (MAH) for Evra, a once-weekly transdermal contraceptive patch for women of fertile age in the United Kingdom. Such authorizations are expected to propel the availability of contraceptive devices in the country during the forecast period.

Therefore, owing to the aforesaid factors such as the high burden of STDs and rising launches, the studied market is expected to grow during the forecast period. However, the high cost of devices and treatment and side effects associated with the use of contraceptive drugs and devices are likely to restrain the market growth over the forecast period.

Female Contraceptive Market Trends

Sub-dermal Contraceptive Implants Segment is Expected to Register a Healthy Growth Over the Forecast Period

The sub-dermal contraceptive implants segment is expected to witness significant growth in the female contraceptive market owing to the factors such as rising unwanted pregnancies, high clinical effectiveness, and high adoption rate among the population.

The increasing company focus on adopting various business strategies such as product launches, mergers and acquisitions, and company spin-offs are likely to boost the growth of the market over the forecast period. For instance, in June 2021, Merck spun off Organon to make it an independent Women's Health company. The company will operate in women's healthcare with a portfolio of contraceptive and fertility brands, dermatology, respiratory, and bone health products. Also, in April 2022, ProMed Pharma initiated a preclinical evaluation of a novel, fully resorbable contraceptive implant after getting funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In addition, in January 2022, Organon reported the public listings for NEXPLANON (etonogestrel extended-release subdermal implant) in Ontario (Ontario Drug Benefit Program), British Columbia (BC PharmaCare), and Nova Scotia (Nova Scotia PharmaCare). Nexplanon is a progestin-only hormonal implant used to prevent pregnancy for up to three years. Similarly, in November 2021, Organon announced the public listings for NEXPLANON (etonogestrel extended-release subdermal implant) in Quebec under the Regie de l'assurance Maladie du Quebec (RAMQ).

Thus, the above mentioned factors are likely to increase the sub-dermal implant segment growth over the forecast period.

North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share Over The Forecast Period

North America is expected to hold a significant market share in the female contraceptive market over the forecast period owing to the factors such as the rising cases of unwanted pregnancies, the presence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, the high adoption rate of contraceptive drugs and devices, and the rising number of government initiatives.

The government initiatives and subsidies provided to the citizens for contraceptive treatment and devices are expected to boost the market growth during the forecast period. For instance, according to an article published in September 2022 in BMC Health Journal, access to emergency contraception (EC) to prevent unintended pregnancy is subsidized by the government in Canada. The drug, ulipristal acetate (UPA-EC), is more clinically effective and cost-effective than the prior standard levonorgestrel (LNG-EC) funded in Quebec. Such support initiatives are expected to boost the demand for contraceptives, which is further projected to expand market growth.

Several organizations are also engaged in the implementation of strategic initiatives in the country. For instance, as per the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation data published in 2022, the foundation is aiming to offer USD 280 million per year from 2021 to 2030 for developing new and improved contraceptive technologies, support family planning programs that reflect the preferences of local communities, and enable women and girls to be in control of their contraceptive care.

Also, the rising launches of contraceptives are further expected to boost the market growth, For instance, in April 2021, the United States FDA approved Mayne Pharma's NEXTSTELLIS (3 mg drospirenone and 14.2 mg estetrol tablets) for the prevention of pregnancy.

Thus, the rising government initiatives and launches and approvals by market players are anticipated to boost the adoption of contraceptive drugs and devices among the female population, thereby boosting the market growth.

Female Contraceptive Industry Overview

The female contraceptive market is fragmented and competitive. As the concern of unwanted pregnancy is rising in various countries across the globe, there is a great opportunity for companies to grab a significant market share. The companies are focusing on entering the market with cost-effective drugs or devices and these companies may pose a strong competition to the current market players. Some of the major players in the market are Bayer AG, Pfizer Inc, Merck & Co, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals, Agile Therapeutics, Johnson and Johnson, and Fuji Latex Co. Ltd.

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