Tunis

Tunisia / Tunis

OVERVIEW

Contraception (Birth Control)

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here. It is recommended that you consult with a health practitioner to determine the best contraceptive choice for you. If you want to find which hormonal contraceptives are available by brand, manufacturer or country, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Tunisia, you can purchase oral contraceptives (birth control pills) over-the-counter. No prescription is required. According to a 2015 report, about 64% of Tunisian women (who are married/in unions and of reproductive age) use any form of contraception. The most popular forms of contraception were IUDs (27%), birth control pills (20.3%) and female sterilization (3.3.%). There were very low rates of use for condoms (1.2%), injectables (1.1%) and implants (0.4%).

In the Middle East and North Africa region, Tunisia is considered especially progressive regarding reproductive rights. Following Tunisian independence (a process that occurred from 1952 to 1956), the new Tunisian government made many changes related to women's lives. In 1956, polygamy was banned, marriage age was raised to 17 years old and divorce rights were made equal between men and women. The government has also made efforts to provide educational resources related to family planning, and mobile clinics offered free contraception and cancer screenings. These mobile clinics have received support from some prominent Muslim leaders as well.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• For a comprehensive list of contraceptive options available in Tunisia, click here.
• In Tunisia, you can purchase oral contraceptives (birth control pills) without a prescription at pharmacies. Some of the brands you can expect to find are Diane, Diane Planeires, Diane-35, Marvelon, Microgynon, Microgynon-30 and Microval.
• If you want the contraceptive shot/injectable, you can find Depo-Prodasone, Depo-Provera SAS 150mg/ml or Megestron in Tunisia.
• If you want the contraceptive implant, you can find Implanon or Norplant in Tunisia.

Tip from a local: "I recommend the 'planing familial' center - one is in Ariana and the other is Cité khadra, among the clinics of CNSS. There, every woman can present only her identity card without any payment and get the whole needed care!! It started in 1966 and still until now this program!!! I recommend it above all others!!"

Costs

Regarding the cost of birth control pills, here's what some locals & travelers say:

• "There's a national assurances that always return back money. It's called CNAM and CNSS." (local, March 2017)
• "The birth control birth, actually, they are so cheap! If you want to get it from private pharmacies. But it is for free in hospitals and we offer it to every woman asking for it. The whole pack for one month it is about 509millims so it is 2cent of euro." (local, March 2017)
• For the Yaz, I used to pay the same that I pay in Brazil, where I'm from, around 20 USD." (traveler, March 2017)

Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill)

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) For combined pills, you must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Tunisia, you can purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• In Tunisia, you can purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription. You can find EC at pharmacies and IPPF-affiliated programs. You should be able to find NorLevo (take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex). You may also be able to access ellaOne, which is currently considered the most effective EC on the market, but a prescription may be required.
• If you can't access dedicated emergency contraception, you can use regular birth control pills as replacement EC. To do this, you can take Microval (take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex). You can also take progestin-estrogen combined pills but remember that, in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used. You can take Neogynon (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later) and Microgynon-30 (take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later).

Costs

In 2013, the government-regulated price for NorLevo was 14.397 TND. According to ICEC, this fact was confirmed by visiting over 200 pharmacies in the country.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Testing Facilities

• One local says, "There are free HIV tests available in every city of Tunisia. They are provided at we call it a "family center," which focuses on things like HIV test, pregnancy test, free condoms and all related things to safe sexual relations."
• One local says, "There are 7 places anonymous places where people can get the HIV test. Of course it for free and even the medication and the treatment, if it happens and the test is positive, will be all for free for the Tunisians, no matter what. We have a health national plan for HIV, like for some other diseases, like VHc. So 11 in whole country and 7 in the big capital: Tunis and surrounding cities."

Menstruation

Note: In addition to pads and tampons, you can also use menstrual cups and menstrual underwear for your period. To learn more about menstrual cups, click here. To learn more about menstrual underwear, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• One local says, "Since Tunisian women (girls) are most conservative, I think pads are more often used instead of tampons, but you can find both (pads and tampons) in supermarkets or even pharmacies. Pads are available everywhere, from a simple grocery stores to a small shop."
• One local says, "For tampons it is not common here to use it. We prefer and mostly use the [sanitary] napkins. But the tampons are available in the big supermarkets in every branch of the country. Just all women are not aware of it."

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• One local says, Gynecologic department is in every hospital. And there are hospitals only with this speciality and linked to it. So there are: Aziza Othmena hospital in Kasbah in Tunis, which is the oldest one and a great one, actually, where we practise fecondation in vitro!! Then the biggest one is Wassila Bourguiba Hospital in Rabta in Tunis, the famous one that is only dedicated to women and newborn babies. It is big and all crowded. There are two others the same thing in Sousse et Monastir: big cities on the cost... I recommend also gynecology department of Salah Azeiz it is so small but they do great jobs for abortion and so on. And the department in Ariana hospital Mahmiud Matri, I like it there" (March 2017)

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Gynecology department of Salah Azeiz
• One local says: "Abortion providers are only in hospitals. And under the command of doctors. So, in every department, you can ask for it. When you have your meeting with your doctor. And I would recommend the one in Ariana (It is a public hospital Mahmoud Matri). There are clinics who do but it would be expensive. And the health ministry can't control the price because the private clinic and his owner (who generally not a doctor and would ask doctors to work for him) would put higher the price of comfort of his place. For private clinics, there is clinic Ennasser in Ariana, which is nice. The best one in Tunisia the most known private clinic is Les Jasmins in centre urbain nird in Tunis." (March 2017)