Washington, D.C.

United States of America / Maryland / Washington, D.C.

Contraception: Over-the-Counter	condoms
Contraception: Prescription/Clinic Required	pills, patch, ring, IUD, implant, shot
Emergency Contraception	no prescription required; available in pharmacies
STIs	no travel restrictions; HIV-positive foreigners not deported
Menstrual Products	pads, tampons, cups
Abortion Law	legal
LGBTQ Laws	homosexuality legal; gender change legal
Related Pages	United States of America

OVERVIEW

As the US capital city, Washington D.C., has a wide range of health care resources. You can access all forms of birth control, though you will need a prescription for most of them. If you're a minor (under 18 years old), you don't need parental permission to get a birth control prescription. You can get emergency contraception without a prescription. There are many free HIV testing sites as well as general STD/STI testing facilities, some of which also provide counseling, treatment and support. You can find PrEP in D.C. (we have provided information below) and PEP. Regarding pregnancy, D.C. has a parental leave policy that covers many people who may not be covered under FMLA. You can legally get an abortion, though minors typically must have their parents notified of the abortion (though parental consent isn not required).

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 DC, you need a prescription to obtain most birth control, except for condoms, spermicide and a few other methods. If you're a minor (under 18 years old), you can get a prescription for birth control (no parental consent is required). However, some doctors may still inform your parents (even though they're not required to). For this reason, if you want to keep your appointment confidential, you should go to a Title X Clinic. These clinics are completely confidential, which means that your appointment and billing will be confidential.

At Title X Clinics, teens and adults can receive sexual and reproductive health care. They charge on a sliding-scale basis. They may be able to give you a prescription to birth control pills, as well as condoms and sexual health counseling. If you pay for their services with family health insurance and you're a teenager, your parents may see that you visited the clinic in their bills.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Birth control sold in the USA

Condoms

You can get condoms in grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and online. There are no age restrictions for purchasing condoms. Typically, a 12-pack of condoms costs around $12. Female condoms cost around $2 to $4 per condom. You can also get free condoms at health centers (like Planned Parenthood), HIV testing centers and local health departments. Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to learn where you can get free condoms in your area.

Here are some clinics to check out:

• Planned Parenthood - Carol Whitehill Moses Center: They provide birth control implant, birth control patch, birth control pill, birth control shot, birth control vaginal ring (NuvaRing), diaphragm, condom, female condom, counseling on fertility awareness method, IUD (hormonal), IUD (copper) and spermicide.
• Unity Health Care: They provide low-cost, LGBT-friendly services for birth control pills, implants, IUDs and other contraceptive options. "Unity Health Care provides people in Washington, DC with quality health care regardless of ability to pay. For those who can pay, a sliding scale based on family size and income is used to determine the appropriate amount. Unity Health Care accepts Medicaid, Medicare, Managed Care Organizations, DC Healthcare Alliance (AmeriHealth, MedStar Family Choice, Trusted Health Plan), and other private insurance plans." To Schedule an Appointment Please Call (202) 469-4699. Address: 3020 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20009, Phone: (202) 745-4300.
• Mary's Center: They provide low-cost and LGBT-friendly services for getting birth control pills, implants, IUDs, etc. "Mary's Center, founded in 1988, is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides health care, family literacy and social services to individuals whose needs too often go unmet by the public and private systems. "Address: 2333 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC, 20009. Phone: (202) 483-8196
• Marie Reed Clinic: UNDER CONSTRUCTION-Reopening Fall 2017. They provide low-cost and LGBT friendly services with sliding-scale fees. They also accept insurance. You will be able to get birth control pills, implants and IUDs. Address: 2250 Champlain Street, Nw, Washington, DC, 20009. Phone: 202) 232-9022

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. 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

Generally, anyone (no matter their age) can buy Plan B One-Step without a prescription. For other brands, like Next, Next Choice One Dose, My Way and Levonorgestrel, you can buy them without a prescription if they are 17 or older. If you want the ella pill, you'll need a prescription (regardless of age).

What to Get & Where to Get It

In the United States, you'll generally be able to find Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One-Dose and My Way in pharmacies. Here's a full breakdown of what you can expect to find, thanks to the Princeton EC Website:

Dedicated Products / Anti-Progestin Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• ella

Dedicated Products / Progestin Only Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• My Way
• Next Choice One Dose
• Plan B One-Step
• Take Action

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Levonorgestrel Tablets (available from a pharmacist without a prescription)

If you can't access emergency contraception, many oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC. The list of potential contraceptives that can be used for this purpose is very long, and instructions vary according to the specific brand. So, to find specific instructions based on the brands you may have available, please check out the Princeton EC Website. You can search for EC under "United States" and see recommended pills and dosages on that site.

Important Note: If you have been raped and want emergency contraception, you can get it at an emergency room or hospital. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which is open 24 hours and will let you know where you can get EC. For more information, you can also visit the RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) website.

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

The United States has no travel restrictions related to HIV status.

Testing Facilities

Here's a comprehensive list of free HIV testing sites in D.C.

• AHF Wellness Center: They offer free HIV tests (rapid tests) with a focus on the LGBT community. They also offer Chlamydia Urine Testing, Chlamydia Oral Testing, Chlamydia Anal Testing, Gonorrhea Urine Testing, Gonorrhea Oral Testing, Gonorrhea Anal Testing and Syphilis Testing. Address: 1647 Benning Road NE Suite 303, Washington, DC, 20002. Phone: (202) 350-5000.
• Hoya Clinic: They test for HIV and other STIs. "All are welcome, regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, or immigration status." 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE, 4th Floor, Main Building Washington D.C. 20003, Phone: (202) 468-4816.
• DC Health and Wellness Center: Comprehensive STD testing is offered to all persons 12 years of age and older. The types of tests done depend on your sexual behaviors and symptoms." Tests HIV (rapid and confirmatory blood test), Chlamydia (swab or urine), Genital Herpes (visual diagnosis and culture), Herpes (Visual diagnosis and culture), Gonorrhea (swab or urine), Hepatitis C (blood test), Syphilis (blood test) and Trichomoniasis (swab). Address: 77 P Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Phone: (202) 741-7692
• Whitman-Walker Center: "No appointment is needed for HIV testing at Whitman-Walker Health. And, all counseling, testing, and referral services are confidential and free of charge, but donations are welcome." They also provide kits for you to test yourself at home for other STDs.
• Women's Collective: They provide free HIV tests. Address: 3230 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. , Suite 213, Washington, DC 20020. Email: info@womenscollective.org. p: 202.483.7003
• Andromeda Transcultural Center: They offer free HIV tests. They have two locations, so check the website for details. Email: info@andromedadc.org.
• Metro Health: They offer free HIV tests. Address: 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. Phone: 202-638-0750.

Support

• H2O: "H2O is a multi-cultural, volunteer social group for people with Herpes and/or HPV."
• Metro DC HELP: "HELP of Washington support group meetings deal with the emotional and physical problems of people who have HSV/Herpes. Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of every month except on Federal."

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• If you think you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you'll need to visit a doctor, who will give you a check-up and test to see if you have a UTI. If you do have a UTI, you will be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection. You cannot get UTI antibiotic medication without a prescription.
• If you have a yeast infection, you can get treatment over-the-counter (no prescription needed). The most common yeast infection treatment in the United States is called "Monistat." There are different treatment plans (for example, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days). It's recommended to do more than 1 day to completely clear the infection.
• You should be able to access the HPV vaccine in the United States.
• You can get PrEP in D.C. at Andromeda Transcultural Health (Decatur Center), Whitman-Walker Health, Metro Health and other health centers. For a full list of PrEP providers in D.C, click here.
• You should be able to access PEP in D.C. contact the DC Health and Wellness Center at 202-741-7692 or contact your local hospital for details.

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

In Washington D.C., you can find pads, tampons and menstrual cups. For pads and tampons, they can be found in most grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies. For menstrual cups and organic menstrual products, you can find them at CVS Pharmacy (many locations), Whole Foods (1440 P St Nw), The Brian Mackenzie Infoshop, Walgreens (801 7Th St NW) and Harris Teeter.

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the United States, the National Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave for women. But the FLMA has loopholes (for example, it doesn't apply to companies with less than 50 employees). So, for this reason, many women don't actually receive 12 weeks of maternity leave, and many women (even if their employers do qualify) can't take off 12 weeks of unpaid work. There is currently no comparable federal paternity leave policy in the United States.

Fortunately, Washington, D.C. recently passed its own parental leave policy, which allows 8 weeks of parental leave (with 90% of wage coverage) for full-time and part-time workers in the city. For more details, click here.

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 in Maryland. However, there are some restrictions. If you're over 18 years old, you can get an abortion performed by a fully licensed doctor, and only before the fetus is considered viable.

If you're a minor (under 18 years old), one of your parents needs to be notified that you want to get an abortion. They don't need to consent to the abortion, but they do need to be informed. However, according to Maryland law, there are some cases when your parents don't need to be notified. This is when the minor is considered mature enough to give her own consent (we're not sure how "mature" is measured), notification would not be in the minor's best interest, notice may lead to physical or emotional abuse of the minor or if a reasonable effort to give notice has been unsuccessful. For more information on Maryland abortion laws for minors, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Planned Parenthood - Carol Whitehill Moses Center: Their services include abortion pill (medication abortion), in-clinic abortion, sedation options (medication to make the abortion more comfortable), pre- and post-abortion patient education, post-abortion follow-up exams and referrals for other abortion services, as needed. Address: 1225 4th St. NE, Washington, DC 20002, p: 202.347.8500.
• Washington Surgi Clinic: "The Washington Surgi-Clinic provides legal, safe surgical and non-surgical abortions from the very earliest pregnancies up to 26 weeks of pregnancy (from the first day of the last menstrual period). We strive to support our patients, protect their personal dignity and privacy, and respect their choices during such a difficult and stressful time." Address: 2112 F. Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, District of Columbia 20037. Phone: (877) 659-9403, (202) 659-9403.

Important Note: Be careful -- there are some places that advertise themselves as abortion clinics, but they're actually anti-abortion clinics, typically run by pro-life Christian conservatives. They're known as crisis pregnancy centers (PRC). The main issues with these centers are that 1) They often falsely advertise themselves as abortion clinics and 2) They don't allow people to make choices for themselves (they only accept one choice). For these reasons, if you're looking for an abortion provider, we urge you to carefully select a trusted service. For more information on PRC, click here.

Costs

Click here for information on payment options for medical abortions at Maryland Planned Parenthood. Click here for information on payment options for surgical/in-clinic abortions at Maryland Planned Parenthood.

Nationwide, the abortion pill can cost $800, but often less. For an in-clinic procedure, abortions can cost $1500, but often less. You can often find cheaper options at Planned Parenthood or some clinics. For low-income women (regardless of citizenship status), there are a variety of programs that may help pay for these costs.

If you need help paying for an abortion, call the National Abortion Federation Hotline at 1-800-772-9100, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). The hotline can tell you where and how to get financial help for an abortion in the U.S.

Advocacy & Counseling

What to Get & Where to Get It

• For emergencies, call 911 to get police and an ambulance.
• If you're dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline Number at 1-800-787-3224. "Our highly-trained advocates are available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship. "
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255. "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals."
• If you have been abused and are in need of support, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) may be able to provide help and counseling. Visit their website call their 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
• The Trevor Project (Lifeline): Call: 866-488-7386. This is a 24/7 hotline for LGBT youth. "Our trained counselors are here to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline now at 866-488-7386."
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender National Hotline: Toll-free: 1-888-843-4564. HOURS: Monday thru Friday from 1pm to 9pm, pacific time (Monday thru Friday from 4pm to midnight, eastern time). Saturday from 9am to 2pm, pacific time. (Saturday from noon to 5pm, eastern time). "All of our services are free and confidential.We speak with callers of all ages about coming-out issues, relationship concerns, bullying, workplace issues, HIV/AIDS anxiety and safer-sex information, and lots more!"

List of Additional Resources

• Check out this list of Gender and Social Policy Organizations and Institutions in the Washington, DC Area
• National Organization of Women - D.C. Chapter: "We work to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls - with a focus on the District of Columbia."
• The DC Center for the LGBT Community: "The DC LGBT Center educates, empowers, celebrates, and connects the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. To fulfill our mission, we focus on four core areas: health and wellness, arts & culture, social & support services, and advocacy and community building."
• SMYAL: "SMYAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders) supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region."
• DC Trans Coalition: "The DC Trans Coalition (DCTC) is a volunteer, grassroots, community-based organization dedicated to fighting for human rights, dignity, and liberation for transgender, transsexual, and gender-diverse (hereafter: trans) people in the District of Columbia."