Oral contraceptive pills shortage in Lebanon amidst the economic collapse: a nationwide exploratory study

BackgroundThe political instability, economic crisis, and devaluation of the national currency left Lebanese females suffering from a scarcity of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). Therefore, we aimed to identify the incidence of OCPs shortage in Lebanon and its impact on women's sexual and reproductive health, as well as physical and psychological well-being.MethodsCommunity pharmacies were selected randomly across Lebanon, using a stratified sampling approach, where female clients asking for OCPs were interviewed using a standardized data collection form.ResultsA total of 440 females were interviewed. More than three-quarters of the participants (76.4%) reported not finding their preferred OCPs brands, almost 40% were affected by the increased prices, and 28.4% declared stockpiling OCPs. More than half of the participants using OCPs for pregnancy prevention reported adopting alternative traditional contraceptive methods (55.3%). Unplanned pregnancy was reported by 9.5% of participants, where 75% of them disclosed intentional abortion while the remaining (25%) reported experiencing a spontaneous miscarriage. Other consequences of OCPs shortage included mood disturbances (52.3%), dysregulation of menses (49.7%), dysmenorrhea (21.1%), weight gain (19.6%), acne (15.7%), and hirsutism (12.5%). Of the participants taking OCPs for birth control, 48.6% reported a reduced frequency of sexual intercourse, which led to conflicts with their partners (46%) and a decreased libido (26.7%).ConclusionsOCPs shortage has seriously and negatively exposed women to various undesirable consequences including unplanned pregnancy and dysregulation of menses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to bring the attention of healthcare authorities to support the national pharmaceutical industry in manufacturing affordable OCPs generics to meet women's reproductive health demands.

Automated summary

The shortage of oral contraceptive pills in Lebanon due to political instability, economic crisis, and currency devaluation has had serious negative consequences on women's reproductive health. A survey found that over three-quarters of women were unable to find their preferred contraceptive brands, with almost 40% affected by increased prices and 28.4% stockpiling pills. The shortage has led to unplanned pregnancies, dysregulation of menses, and various physical and psychological side effects. It is crucial for healthcare authorities to support the national pharmaceutical industry in producing affordable generic OCPs to meet women's reproductive health needs.