Russians spent a record 19.3 billion rubles ($211 million) on contraceptives in the first half of 2024, according to the business newspaper Vedomosti reported Friday, citing market research.

According to new data from pharmaceutical market research company DSM Group, 16.7 billion rubles were spent on condoms and birth control pills in the same period last year.

Large pharmacy chains in Russia confirmed to a survey conducted by Vedomosti that their sales of contraceptives increased by up to 25% in the first half of 2024.

Pharmacies attribute the increase in spending on contraceptives to the fact that Russians are increasingly postponing starting a family in the face of economic uncertainty as a result of the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions.

Analysts said growing awareness of sexual health, including preventing unwanted pregnancy and disease, also likely played a role in the increased spending.

However, sales of contraceptives may decline in the second half of 2024 due to the “improved mood” among the population, Nikolai Bespalov, head of development at RNC Pharma, told Vedomosti.

The report comes as authorities in Russia Prepare for the launch Next school year, secondary school students will be offered an elective course in family studies, aimed at promoting marriage and extended families as part of a broader effort to combat the country’s demographic decline.