Ecuador: Difference between revisions

Birth control pills are readily available at pharmacies without a prescription. You will typically find generic pills, like Microgynon, or brand name pills like Yaz or Yasmin. It is estimated that over 70% of Ecuadorian women of reproductive age (who are married or in unions) use some form of contraception,<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> and that about 19% of Ecuadorian women are using hormonal birth control, such as pills or injectables.<ref>[http://www.hpvcentre.net/statistics/reports/ECU_FS.pdf Ecuador: Human Papillomavirus and Related Cancers, Fact Sheet 2016]</ref>  However, the conservative government of President Correa has threatened many of the protections granted to women's health care. As reported by PRI, "...many of his critics argue that his policies toward women are among the most conservative in Latin America. Women’s groups in Ecuador say they’ve been losing a series of hard-won rights since Correa first came into office in 2007."<ref>[http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-07-04/pope-francis-visits-ecuador-women-there-say-theyre-losing-ground As Pope Francis visits Ecuador, women there say they're losing ground]</ref> For example, Correa's government reorganized a government agency responsible for reducing teen pregnancy (Estrategia Nacional Intersectorial de Planificación Familiar y Prevención del Embarazo en Adolescente), and he appointed an anti-abortion, pro-abstinence activist to manage it.