As questions related to sexual health are very varied, Public Health France helps us to find our way around them.
- The number of screenings for bacterial STIs has been increasing in France for several years.
- In France, one in three pregnancies is unplanned and 64% of them result in voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG).
- 16% of women aged 18-69 have experienced painful sexual intercourse in the past 12 months.
“Contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), consent, sexual disorders… it’s normal to have questions about sexuality and you shouldn’t hesitate to talk about it!”
In a summary document published on its site, Public Health France disseminates figures on the sexual health of the French in order to raise awareness of this issue.
The French and screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
“The number of screenings for bacterial STIs has been increasing for several years,” first indicates the health agency.
In 2022, 2.6 million people benefited at least once from reimbursed screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection, 3 million from screening for gonococcal infection and 3.1 million from screening for syphilis.
“Ile-de-France is a region where the rate of screening and diagnosis of STIs is high, with in particular a higher rate of diagnosis of syphilis than in other regions”, public health experts specify.
French women and contraception
In France, one in three pregnancies is unplanned and 64% of them result in voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG).
“In 2016, 6.2% of women aged 15-49 at risk of unplanned pregnancy used emergency contraception in the past 12 months,” specifies Public Health France.
French women and sexual disorders
16% of women aged 18-69 living in mainland France have experienced painful sexual intercourse in the last 12 months. Among them, 2% experience it regularly.
“In order to support healthcare professionals in their practices or to help associations, Santé publique France offers numerous documents for download or order on our website”the health agency also indicates.
“These documents, intended for all audiences, provide practical information on sexuality in all its dimensions and address various themes such as reproductive health, vaccination and even gender-based discrimination…”, she develops.
“The site QuestionSexualite.fr completes the digital ecosystem of Public Health France in matters of sexual health (OnSEXprime.fr for adolescents and Sexosafe.fr for men who have sex with men)”, she concludes.
