Based on the contacts it has had with the public, Planning Familial said a peak in so-called covid-19 babies was to be expected but “in 2021 it should stabilise naturally.” The state has yet to release birth figures for 2020.

But during 2020, there was also a rise in demand for psychological support, the centre said, which was managed by shifting consultations to virtual format.

Compared with the same period in 2019, it said that it issued 17% fewer morning-after pills and reported a 10% decline in the number of contraceptive pills prescribed. “The health crisis has had negative consequences by limiting access to sexual and reproductive health services. It has crystallized existing inequalities of access. This is particularly true with regard to access to abortion,” it wrote.

Abortions

While Planning Familial did not report more voluntary terminations than in previous years, there were also not fewer. “We usually have a decrease from year to year,” the organisation wrote. “However, we found that the age of a pregnancy at the time of the request for abortion at Family Planning was slightly higher. In addition, more women went to the Netherlands," it said, where abortions are possible at a later stage in the pregnancy than in Luxembourg.

The service noted that there was a delay in accessing surgical abortions because it was mandatory to obtain a negative covid-19 test.

To mark sexual and emotional health awareness week in Luxembourg, Luxembourg’s government has issued a guide for professionals working with young people to help them better communicate about sexuality. The guide is published in German, French and English. There is also a directory of the different actors in the Grand Duchy. It can be ordered by e-mail at the following address: [email protected].