Riyadh: Difference between revisions

In Saudi Arabia, you can access and purchase birth control at pharmacies. While official sources state that you need a prescription to obtain birth control,<ref>[http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html Global Oral Contraception Availability]</ref> <ref>[http://freethepill.org/where-on-earth/ Free the Pill]</ref> local sources (for example, a local blogger and a private conversation with a pharmacist) say that you don't need a prescription.<ref>[http://thearabmode.com/expat-birth-control-contraceptives/ BIRTH CONTROL, CONTRACEPTIVES, VIAGRA, CONDOMS IN SAUDI ARABIA]</ref> This means that, in most cases, you can walk into a pharmacy and purchase contraceptives, such as pills or patches, without a prescription. Furthermore, you typically don't need to show a marriage certificate. While you may technically need to be married to obtain contraceptives, this isn't usually enforced. Based on our conversation with a pharmacist in Saudi Arabia, as well as our online research through personal blogs,<ref>[http://thearabmode.com/expat-birth-control-contraceptives/ BIRTH CONTROL, CONTRACEPTIVES, VIAGRA, CONDOMS IN SAUDI ARABIA]</ref> we have found that, in most cases, you don't need to show a marriage certificate in order to purchase contraceptives in Saudi pharmacies. However, this is not to say that you have zero chance of being asked for a prescription or a marriage certificate, so one should be aware that such things can happen.

As a markedly conservative country, the rate of contraceptive use is not particularly high. The women of Saudi Arabia tend to use contraceptives at a lower rate than other Gulf countries, such as [[United Arab Emirates]] or [[Qatar]]. However, the rate of usage is roughly comparable to [[Oman]].<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use 2015]</ref> According to a 2015 UN report, it was found that 36.8% of Saudi women (who are married/in unions and of reproductive age) use some form of contraception, and 24.1% of Saudi women have unmet family planning needs. The most common methods were found to be IUDs (11.6%), condoms (6.6%), birth control pills (6.5%),  and female sterilization (4.2%). There were very low rates of usage for injectables (1.2%) and implants (0.1%).<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use 2015]</ref> Nevertheless, it should be noted that Saudi women certainly do use contraceptives, and an estimated six million birth control pills were purchased in 2013.<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/news/saudi-arabia/609426 SR108m spent on birth control pills]</ref>