Female Contraceptive Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Female Contraceptive Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The Female Contraceptive Market is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period (2022 - 2027).

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the growth of the studied market. Initially, the global COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown scenario in various countries have imposed some challenges on the market, as hospitals and clinics were forced to suspend services to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The restrictions imposed by the government have significantly impacted the growth of the studied market during the initial period of a pandemic. For instance, according to United Nations Population Fund, in March 2021, the COVID-19 epidemic has disrupted family planning services for an estimated 12 million women, resulting in 1.4 million unplanned pregnancies. In addition to this, during the initial lockdown, women were nine times more likely to have difficulty accessing contraception, resulting in an almost doubling of unexpected births, from 1.3% pre-lockdown to 2.1% post-lockdown. Additionally, a research study conducted by the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency (UNFPA) in 2020 projected that more than 47 million women could lose access to contraception leading to 7 million unintended pregnancies as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The rise in maternal and newborn illness and mortality is the tragic outcome of unplanned pregnancy. Similarly, a research study by Amanda Black et al., published in Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) 2020, stated that Canadian people and couples who wanted to avoid pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 were at increased risk of developing an unmet need for family planning due to lack of access to contraceptive care or methods. Adding to this, social isolation may increase unintended pregnancy through exposure to unprotected intercourse, reproductive coercion, and intimate personal violence. Thus, there is an overall negative impact on the studied market due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Certain factors that are propelling the market growth are increasing incidences of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), increasing rate 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 one in every seven 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 the market growth. For instance, according to the data published by the World Health Organization, in November 2021, it has been observed that around 374 million new infections with one of four sexually transmitted diseases - chlamydia (129 million), gonorrhea (82 million), syphilis (7.1 million) and trichomoniasis (156 million) were recorded in 2020. Thus, the rising burden of sexually transmitted diseases is expected to increase the demand for contraception to avoid getting diseases, thereby propelling the market growth.

Furthermore, there are countries and their respective governments that have identified the need to curb the growth of unwanted pregnancies and have started a great number of initiatives to educate and prevent the spread of unwanted abortions and pregnancies. The usage of contraceptive pills is one of them. The right to obtain and use contraceptives is part of the fundamental right to privacy guaranteed by the United States Constitution. For instance, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) promotes and supports voluntary family planning and reproductive health initiatives in approximately 40 countries throughout the world. Thus, government initiatives are also promoting the use of contraceptive methods to avoid unnecessary births and abortions.

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.

Key Market TrendsSub-dermal Contraceptive Implants Segment Expects to Register a High CAGR 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.

There are two types of sub-dermal implants - Etonogestrel Implant, Levonorgestrel Implant. Under sub-dermal contraceptive implants, the Etonogestrel implants are likely to witness significant growth.

Etonogestrel is a hormone that prevents ovulation. This medication also causes changes in the cervical mucus and uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Subdermal Etonogestrel implant is used as contraception to prevent pregnancy. The medicine is contained in a small plastic rod that is implanted under the skin of the upper arm. The medicine is released slowly into the body. The rod can remain in place and provide continuous contraception for up to 3 years.

The increasing company focus on adopting various business strategies such as product launches, listing products in the countries, mergers, 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. In addition, in January 2022, Organon announced 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). Similarly, in November 2021, Organon announced the public listings for NEXPLANON (etonogestrel extended-release subdermal implant) in Quebec under the Régie de l'assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

Thus, the increasing approvals are likely to increase the sub-dermal implant segment, thereby increasing the market growth over the forecast period.

North America is Expected to Have the Significant Market Share

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

A large section of the women population represents the reproductive age in the United States as well as Canada. Thus, the rising incidences of unwanted pregnancies and abortion rates are the key factor driving the market growth in the region. For instance, according to the Guttmacher Institute, in March 2022, there were a total of 5,660,000 pregnancies annually between 2015 and 2019, of which 2,590,000 were unwanted, and 886,000 resulted in abortion in North America. Additionally, according to the statistics published by Pew Research Center in June 2022, it has been observed that 930,160 abortions were recorded in 2020 in the United States as compared to 916,460 in 2019. Thus, the rising number of abortion cases in the country is expected to increase the demand for adopting various contraceptive methods to avoid unwanted pregnancies, thereby propelling the 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. Similarly, in June 2019, the Canadian government is planning to increase financing to USD 1.4 billion per year, starting in 2023, to assist women's and girls' health around the world. This financing level, which is supported by the country's Feminist International Assistance Policy, represents a significant increase over a previous three-year investment of Canadian USD 650 million (2017–2020).

Thus, the rising incidences of unwanted pregnancies and abortion rates and the aforementioned developments are anticipated to boost the adoption of contraceptive drugs and devices among the female population, thereby boosting the market growth.

Competitive Landscape

The Female Contraceptive market is fragmented and competitive and several global, as well as local players, are involved in this market. 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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