Translations:Beirut/3/en

As the capital city of Lebanon, you will find a wide variety of health care resources in Lebanon. Contraceptives (birth control) are available in pharmacies without a prescription. Emergency contraception ("the morning after pill") can be purchased without a prescription at pharmacies, even though you may technically need a prescription. Note that ellaOne, the most effective EC on the market (as of 2016), is available in Beirut. You can get STI tests in Beirut and there are some confidential testing facilities. Be aware that some facilities test for only HIV, rather than a range of STIs. Furthermore, if you are applying for a work permit, you are required to take an HIV test and, if the results are positive, you will be deported. You can access HPV medication in Lebanon, but no national vaccination program is in place. There is currently no PrEP in the country. In 2014, maternity leave was extended from seven weeks to ten weeks. Finally, abortion is illegal in all circumstances, except for cases when a woman's life is endangered. While the law imposes harsh punishments upon those who seek out or perform abortions, the legal reality of the situation appears to be a bit more complex. There are many clandestine abortions performed in Beirut and, so long as no family members issue complaints, the government seems to look the other way. However, one should remain especially careful if pursuing this path, and may want to consider seeking out an abortion in countries where they are legally performed, such as Turkey.