Ljubljana

Slovenia / Ljubljana

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.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Slovenia, you can purchase condoms and birth control pills at pharmacies without a prescription. While you may technically need a prescription for birth control pills, this is not typically enforced, and birth control pills are available over-the-counter. However, for other forms of contraception, such as implants, injectables, and IUDs, you may need to directly visit a hospital or clinic to obtain them.

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) 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 Slovenia, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter (i.e. no prescription) for people who are over 16 years old. For people who are under 16 years old, a prescription is required, according to official sources, but we don't know if and how this law is enforced.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can find emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) at pharmacies, and they are sold over-the-counter. Some brands you may find are Escapelle 1.5, NorLevo 1.5mg, and ellaOne.
• Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Check to see if your country carries ellaOne. If your country doesn't carry ellaOne, copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If none of these options are available, and it's been over 3 days since you had unprotected sex, you can still take EC, which may work up to 5 days. Note that EC pills are not 100% effective and should be taken as soon as possible.

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.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Slovenia, there are no known travel or residency restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. This means that you can enter the country, regardless of your HIV status, and you should not be deported if you test positive for HIV while you are in the country.

In 2015, it was estimated that about 1000 people were living with HIV in Slovenia. Approximately 425 were on ART (treatment).

Testing Facilities

• Association Legebitra: They provide tests (HIV, hepatitis B and C, oral and rectal gonorrhea) for men who have sex with men (MSM) and trans people. The locations for tests change depending on the day, so you should refer to the website for details. The website is available in Slovenian and English. Phone: 01 430 51 44. Email: info@legebitra.si

Support

• Ministry of Health - HIV/AIDS
• National Institute of Public Health
• Association Legebitra: They provide STI counseling, primarily for men who have sex with men (MSM). The website is available in Slovenian and English.

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Regarding PrEP access, Gilead's Truvada (TDF/FTC) is registered and generic versions are available for prevention. There are also demonstration projects/studies being conducted in Slovenia related to PrEP.

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

• If you're interested in menstrual cups, there's a local brand produced in Slovenia called LaliCup (website in Slovenian and English; and they offer free worldwide shipping on orders over a certain limit). You can also find international menstrual cup brands, such as Lunette, MooonCup, and OrganicCup, at stores and pharmacies throughout the country. For a seller in your area, you can refer to the Menstrual Cup Map (which shows sellers for multiple menstrual cup brands).

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.

Laws & Social Stigmas

Abortion is legal up until the first ten weeks of pregnancy. After ten weeks of pregnancy, abortion procedures are legally permitted in certain cases, such as when the pregnancy threatens the psychological or physical health of the pregnant person, or when there is serious risk of fetal malformation. For an abortion to be legally performed, the pregnant person needs to receive a pre-abortion consultation, pre-abortion laboratory tests, and a post-abortion consultation. The pregnant person must also given written consent to have the abortion performed. There appears to be no laws related to minors, so there appears to be no restrictions related to minors obtaining abortions.

List of Additional Resources

• Slovenia - Ministry of Health
• Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia: "Main aims of Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia are to: coordinate the activities of nursing and midwifery care, prepare legislation, represent political positions which allow for and assure further professional development of nursing and midwifery, and secure appropriate status for nurses and midwives in the society, monitor and participate in education of nurses and midwives, and develop research in nursing and midwifery care."
• Equaldex - Slovenia: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Slovenia.