The best birth control – IUDs, implants or condoms? In Hong Kong 80 per cent of couples rely on man using condoms, even though doctors say alternatives better

Hong Kong has the second highest prevalence of male condom use behind only Japan

Women are more receptive to other, more effective contraceptive types once they have had a proper consultation with a doctor

Reading Time:4 minutes

A Hong Kong doctor says condoms are popular because they’re cheap, easy to obtain and have no side effects, unlike the pill. However, long acting reversible contraceptives such as IUDs and implants are more effective at preventing pregnancy and can last for up to 10 years. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:40pm, 1 Jun 2020Updated: 5:50pm, 1 Jun 2020

We’ve been spending a lot more time at home, but it’s unlikely to result in a coronavirus baby boom. As concerns about employment and the economy grow, couples are delaying expanding their families and as a result, many are exploring their contraceptive options.

According to a 2017 Family Planning Association of Hong Kong survey, the male condom remains the most used contraceptive in Hong Kong by a wide margin. Almost 80 per cent of married or cohabiting women report their partners using it. The next most common methods are the contraceptive pill (6 per cent) and intrauterine device (IUD) (6 per cent) – a small, T-shaped plastic and copper device put into the uterus by a doctor.

A 2019 report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs that examined contraceptive methods in 195 countries found Hong Kong has the second highest prevalence of male condom use (32 per cent), behind only Japan (35 per cent).

These statistics point to a “continuous rising trend in the male condom’s popularity in contrast with the general declining trends in the popularity of other methods over the years”, says Dr Sue Lo Seen-tsing, a senior doctor at the Family Planning Association.

Sue Lo Seen-tsing is a senior doctor at the Family Planning Association in Hong Kong. Photo: Sue Lo Seen-tsing

Why are condoms so popular? Lo says it’s because they’re inexpensive, easy to obtain and have no side-effects, unlike the pill and IUDs, which can be expensive and require a trip to the doctor.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x