\[ **BT: [[contraception]]** ] --- # contraceptive use in China --- [[China’s approach to contraception is, overall, a pragmatic one, and almost all contraceptives are sold over the counter without prescriptions. However, social stigmas about sex still exist, and some women will prefer to buy contraceptives discreetly.]][^1] --- ## available contraceptives ### the combination pill [[Combination (birth control) pills contain a blend of both progesterone and estrogen. This stops the ovaries from releasing eggs.]][^2] [[In China, birth control pills can be purchased without a prescription at the chemist (‘yaofang’ 药房) or online on Meituan (search ‘maiyao 买药’ on Meituan).]][^3] #### common brands [[The four most common brands of birth control pills in China are Yasmin, Yaz, Diane-35, and Marvelon. All contain synthetic progesterone and ethyl estradiol (a synthetic form of estrogen).]][^4] ![[Life in China (blog) 2021, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, Yasmin infographic.png]][^5] ![[Life in China (blog) 2021, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, Yaz infographic.png]][^6] ![[Life in China (blog) 2021, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, Diane-35 infographic.png]][^7] ![[Life in China (blog) 2021, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, Marvelon infographic..png]][^8] ### IUDs [[In recent decades, intrauterine devices (IUDs) have become the dominant contraceptive method in China.]][^9] ### the morning after pill [[In China, the morning after pill (避孕药 ‘bìyùn yào’) can be purchased without prescription at the chemist. In 2021, it cost around RMB50.]][^10] [^1]: Zhang Jieran, ‘[[Zhang, ‘Contraceptive Pills in China’, 2025|Contraceptive Pills in China: Types, Prices, and How to Buy Safely]]’, Chixporation.Com, 23 September 2025, [https://chixploration.com/contraceptive-pills-in-china-types-prices-and-how-to-buy-safely/](https://chixploration.com/contraceptive-pills-in-china-types-prices-and-how-to-buy-safely/). [^2]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^3]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^4]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^5]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^6]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^7]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^8]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/). [^9]: Ruby Lai, ‘[[Lai, ‘Every Medicine Is Somewhat Poisonous’, 2023|“Every Medicine Is Somewhat Poisonous”: Understanding the reluctance to use oral contraceptives among unmarried women seeking abortion in China]]’, *Contraception*, vol. 119 (March 2023), 109917, [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2022.11.008](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2022.11.008). [^10]: Life China, ‘[[life-china, ‘A Guide to Birth Control in China’, 2021|A Guide to Birth Control in China]], Life China (Blog), 22 August 2021, [https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/](https://www.life-china.com/article/a-guide-to-birth-control-in-china/); Zhang Jieran, ‘[[Zhang, ‘Contraceptive Pills in China’, 2025|Contraceptive Pills in China: Types, Prices, and How to Buy Safely]]’, Chixporation.Com, 23 September 2025, [https://chixploration.com/contraceptive-pills-in-china-types-prices-and-how-to-buy-safely/](https://chixploration.com/contraceptive-pills-in-china-types-prices-and-how-to-buy-safely/); ‘Beijing’, Gynopedia, last modified 9 July 2018, 18:20, https://gynopedia.org/Beijing.