Buenos Aires

Argentina / Pampas / Buenos Aires

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 Argentina, contraception is legal and widely available. It is estimated that about 61% of Argentine woman use some form of modern contraception, and that 40% are on birth control pills.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can buy condoms at pharmacies for AR$10-$30 (three-pack) or up to AR$67 (12-pack).
• If you would like to get birth control pills ("pastillas anticonceptivas" in Spanish), they can be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription. Farmacity is a popular pharmacy chain. Some brands you can expect to see are Ovrette, Microlut, Microval, Duoluton, Eugynon, Neogynon, Nordiol, Ovral, Microgynon, Microvlar, Nordette, Miranova. You can expect to pay between AR$30-$120. To see which pills are available in Argentina, check out Alfabeta or Kairos. Please note that Argentina has strict importation laws, so be careful to NOT bring in any birth control pills that aren't permitted in Argentina.
• If you're interested in the ring (like Nuvaring), you can get it at Farmacity for AR$240.
• If you want an IUD, you can get the IUD insertion at a hospital or health center. While you can get it done at a public hospital, you'll find that only non-hormonal IUDs are available. The last for 10 years. if you want the hormonal IUDs, which last for 5 years, you'll need to go to a private hospital.
  • Recommendation: "Dr. Claudia María Battista is a gynecologist based in Recoleta (3rd floor, Arenales 1611, 4811 6127) who can administer both hormonal and non-hormonal IUDs, after a medical consultation. The best option for each patient and the price of the IUD must be discussed with the doctor, and Dr. Battista speaks English, if your Spanish is not up to par to discuss your reproductive system."
• If you want a birth control shot ("inyección" in Spanish), you can probably get it for free at public hospitals and health centers, like Hospital General de Agudos A. Zubizarreta or Hospital General de Agudos B. Rivadavia. If you would like to get it Farmacity, you can get it for around AR$40. Remember that you need to get injections on the same day every month. Since some pharmacies in Buenos Aires don't carry the shot, you should confirm a stable place to get a weekly injection before you commit to shots.
• If you want the implant ("implante" or "anticonceptivo subcutáneo" in Spanish), this has been available in Argentina since 2012.
• If you're interested in the patch ("parche" in Spanish), you can get it a pharmacies, like Farmacity. It's not covered by the public health system, so expect to pay around AR$150-$200.

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. Copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex.

Laws & Social Stigmas

Emergency contraception is legal and can be accessed without a prescription.

What to Get & Where to Get It

In Buenos Aires, you can obtain emergency contraception (also known as "the morning after pill"). In Spanish, it's called "anticoncepción hormonal de emergencia." You can get EC at public hospitals or health centers for free (for 24 hours/day) after a medical consultation. You can also visit a pharmacy, like Farmacity (many of them are open 24 hours), and purchase EC. There are no age restrictions.

Here are the EC options you can expect to see in Buenos Aires, provided by the Princeton EC Website:

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

• Norgestrel Max Unidosis
• Postinor 1
• Segurite UD

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Norgestrel-Max
• Ovulol
• Postinor-2

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin Only Take 40 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Ovrette

Take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Microlut
• Microva

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin-Estrogen Combined Note: in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later:

• Duoluton
• Eugynon
• Neogynon
• Nordiol
• Ovral

Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

• Microgynon
• Microvlar
• Nordette

Take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later:

• Miranova

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

You can enter the country if you're HIV+. There are no travel restrictions applied to anyone with STIs. However, according to the National AIDS Law No 23.798, all immigrants are required to take HIV tests.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Testing Facilities

You can get tested at tons of public hospitals in Buenos Aires. The wait times will be longer but costs will be very low, and potentially free. For the full list, click here.Also, here are some well-known public hospitals:

• Hospital Ramos Mejía: Address: Gral. Urquiza 609, C1221ADC Buenos Aires, Argentina, Phone: +54 11 4931-1884
• Hospital Argerich: Address: Av. Almte Brown 202, Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Hospital Fernández: Address: Cerviño 3356, C1425AGP CABA, Argentina. Phone: +54 11 4808-2600.
• Hospital Vélez Sarsfield: Address: Pedro Calderón de la Barca 1550, C1407KQF CABA, Argentina. Phone: +54 11 4639-8700.

If you would like to get tested at a private facility, the costs will be higher. But the wait times will be faster and facilities will generally be nicer:

• Hospital Aleman: Open 24 hours. Tests were about $130p in 2011. Address: Av Pueyrredón 1640, C1118AAT CABA, Argentina, Phone: +54 11 4827-7000.
• Swiss Medical: They have locations all over the city so check the website.
• Clinica La Sagrada Familia: Small clinic. Does health checks for around $120p. Address: José Hernández 1642, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina - Tel: (5411) 6343-7800
• Ceusa Leah: Address: Pueyrredón 768 1º Piso CP 1032 - Capital Federal Tel / Fax: 4961-8348 / 4962-3505 email: info@ceusa-laeh.com.ar
• Nexo Asociación Civil: Does HIV rapid test. Address: Avda. Callao 339 6 A y B, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina -0800 345 6396, info@nexo.org, Monday to Friday, 15:30-21:00
• Hospital Fernandez: Address: Cerviño 3356, C1425AGP CABA, Argentina, Phone: +54 11 4808-2600.
• Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires: Address: Perdriel 74, C1280AEB Buenos Aires, Argentina. Phone: +54 11 4309-6400

Support

• Fundación Huesped: Focuses on sexual and reproductive rights and helping people with HIV. Operating since 1989.
• Fundación para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer: Focuses on helping women and health programs; organizes conferences.
• FUNDAMIND: Offers job assistance, education, etc. Helps kids with HIV.
• UNAIDS Argentina: "The goal of UNAIDS is to lead and inspire the world in Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-deaths." Alberto Stella, UNAIDS Country Director, Telephone: + 54 11 4328 4365. Fax: + 54 11 4328 2253, Email: STELLAA@UNAIDS.ORG.

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• There has been a national HPV vaccination program in Argentina since 2011. The target age for vaccination is 11 years old, and it was estimated that 50% of the target population was vaccinated in 2013.
• There is currently no official PrEP program in Argentina.

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 Buenos Aires, you can find pads, tampons and pantyliners. Pads are the easiest to find in supermarkets, pharmacies and corner stores. You can purchase tampons in Argentina; they'll typically be non-applicator brands, like OB. If you want a menstrual cup, you can buy a MoonCup at COPA ECOLÓGICA (Tomás Le Bretón 4933 Villa Urquiza Buenos Aires, Capital Federal 1431 Argentina (011) - 11564171648). For DivaCup, LadyCup or Lunette, you'll need to buy them online since there are no local sellers in Argentina.

Pregnancy

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Dr. Federico del Giudice - Grupo Medico Lomas de San Isidro (in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires): "I have never met such a caring OB/GYN and would highly recommend him if you're thinking about having a baby. He was recommended to me by another expat and I'm so grateful for her recommendation."

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.