Malaysia

OVERVIEW

In Malaysia, you can purchase birth control pills without a prescription. You will also find many other contraceptive options, including injectables/shots, implants and IUDs. You can also purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription. While you can get STI tests at many facilities, if you are a foreigner, it's important that you understand laws around HIV status. If you are a foreigner on a student or work visa, and if you're found to be HIV positive, you will probably be deported from Malaysia. You can find PrEP and PEP in Kuala Lumpur. You can also find Gardasil, an HPV vaccine. While pads are the most common in Malaysia, you can find tampons and even some menstrual cups sold in larger cities, like Kuala Lumpur. According to Malaysian law, women receive 60 days of maternity leave with 100% of wage coverage. Finally, regarding abortion, it is only permitted in certain circumstances that do not include general availability upon request. For this reason, many women obtain abortions through clandestine providers or travel to other countries to obtain abortions.

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 Malaysia, you can purchase contraception (birth control) without a prescription. You may have to do a basic consultation/screening with the pharmacist, but the process should be relatively straight-forward. According to a 2015 report, 57.1% of Malaysian women (who are married/in unions and of reproductive age) use some form of contraception. The most common methods are the pill (17%), female sterilization (10.1%), rhythm method (8.1%), IUDs (5.4%), various traditional methods (3.7%) and withdrawal (3.6%). However, many women in Malaysia, especially in less developed or urban parts of the countries, may not have adequate education, support or education to receive birth control. According to the same report, 15.4% of Malaysian women (who are married/in unions and of reproductive age) have unmet family planning needs.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Marvelon, a common birth control brand found in Malaysia

• For a list of contraceptive options available in Malaysia, click here.
• You can purchase birth control pills in Malaysian pharmacies. Some pill brands that you can expect to see are Brevinor, Diane, Gynera, Loette, Marvelon, Meliane, Mercilon, Microgynon, Microlut 35, Minulet, Nordette, Noriday, Norminest, Qlaira, Riget, Rigevidon, Tri-Regol, Trinordiol, Yasmin and Yaz.
• There is a Malaysian mobile app, called Pill Insight, which provides information and reminders related to birth control pills. You can read an article about it here.
• If you want a contraceptive shot/injectable, you can find Depo-Provera, Doryxas and Noristerat in Malaysia.
• If you want a contraceptive implant, you can find Jadelle and Norplant in Malaysia. At Klinik Bangar South, they have 3-month contraceptive injectables available.
• If you want an IUD, you can find Mirena in Malaysia. You can get an IUD from Dr Alex Matthews Clinic in KL (cost was around 300 RM and "The procedure of IUD insertion was smooth and efficient and no issues at all"). Some clinics, like Klinik Bangar South in KL, don't have IUDs but others will.

Costs

In 2014, price for birth control pills were about 20-30 MYR (about $6-10 US) for a month's supply. If you're a KL local, contraceptive shots and IUDs may be free. If you're not a KL local, you'll need to pay for the services.

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

In Kuala Lumpur, you can purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• In Malaysia, you can buy most dedicated emergency contraception (the morning after pill) at pharmacies and IPPF-affiliated systems without a prescription. If you want anti-progestin pills, you can take ellaOne (take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex), but you may need a prescription for ellaOne. If you want progestin-only pills, you can find Escapelle (take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex), Estinor, Me Tablet 0.75mg, Postinor-2 and Pregnon (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex).
• If you can't access emergency contraception, you can use regular birth control as replacement EC. To do this, you can take progestin-only pills: Microlut 35 (take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex). You can also take combined progestin-estrogen pills but remember that, in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used. For these pills, you can take Eugynon, Neogynon or Nordiol (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later). You can take Microgynon, Nordette, Riget or Rigevidon (take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later). You can also take Loette (take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later).
• This information was provided by the Princeton EC website, so please visit it for more details.

Costs

• A traveler who spent time in KL said, "You can get postinor-15 rm(1$ about 4,5 rm), also good one but more expensive called ella-50rm."
• According to the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception, LNG emergency contraception cost $1.30-5.00 (4-15 Ringgits) in May 2013.

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

If you want to visit Malaysia as a short-term visitor, you will not be asked for a medical exam or HIV test. However, if you wish to stay in Malaysia for more than three months (for example, if you plan to be a student or legal worker), you may be asked to take an HIV test. If you are found to be HIV positive, you will probably not be given a student or work visa. Furthermore, once you are in Malaysia, you may be asked for an annual HIV test if you are a foreign national. If you are found to be HIV positive, you will probably be deported within 3 days of the positive test result.

Regarding HPV, according to the HPV Information Centre, "Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Malaysia and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. About 1.0% of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV-16/18 infection at a given time, and 88.6% of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18."

Testing Facilities

Visit the city pages, like the Kuala Lumpur page, for local recommendations.

Support

• Sungai Buloh Hospital: Provides HIV treatment. Phone: +60 3 6156 1321.
• University Malaysia Medical Centre (Infectious Disease Clinic): Provides HIV treatment. Phone: +60 3 7949 2822.
• PT Foundation: "PT Foundation (previously known as Pink Triangle Sdn Bhd) is a community-based, voluntary non-profit making organization providing HIV/AIDS education, prevention, care and support programmes, sexual health and empowerment programmes for vulnerable communities in Malaysia. We work with 5 key affected populations mainly drug users, sex workers, transsexuals, men who have sex with men (MSM), and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV)."
• CARAM ASIA (Coordination of Action Research on AIDS & Mobility in Asia): This is an NGO that works on HIV/AIDS issues in Malaysia. Address: Information Management Department, 8th Floor, Wisma MLS, 31, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman , 50100 Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, Phone: +60 3 26970219, +60 3 26970708, Facsimile: +60 3 26970282, E-mail: caramasiasect@yahoo.com, infom@caramasia.org, caraminfo@yahoo.com
• Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC): This is an NGO that works on HIV/AIDS issues in Malaysia. P.O. Box 11642, 50762 Kuala Lumpur, No. 12, Jalan 13/48A, The Boulevard Shop Office, Off Jalan Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Phone: +60 3 40451033. Facsimile: +60 3 40426133. E-mail: nik@mac.org.my.

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• If you have a yeast infection, you can ask the pharmacist for Fluconazole.

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 Malaysia, you can find pads sold in supermarkets. In larger urban areas, like Kuala Lumpur, you can also find tampons in supermarkets. If you are interested in purchasing a menstrual cup, you can find many brands (LadyCup, MeLuna, MoonCup) sold at Tiny Tapir Warehouse (No. 28 Jalan Awana 15, Taman Cheras Awana, 43200 Cheras, Selangor, Malaysia) or Cloth Diapers & Baby Carriers by Tiny Tapir (3F-1D Bangsar Village II (new wing), between Fast Track Kids and Fit For 2, opposite Kidsports, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar). You can also buy Lunette menstrual cups online from LiveLoveLuna, which can deliver to you address in Malaysia.

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

Visit the city pages, like the Kuala Lumpur page, for local recommendations.

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Malaysia, women receive 60 days of maternity leave with 100% of wages covered.

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

In Malaysia, abortion is legally permitted to save the life of the woman, to preserve the physical health of the woman or to preserve mental health of the woman. In all other cases, including rape, incest, risk of fetal impairment or social/economic reasons, abortion is not legally permitted. Since 1971, abortion has been permitted when the woman's life is endangered by the pregnancy. Since 1989, abortion has been permitted if the woman's physical or mental health is endangered by the pregnancy.

Despite the legal restrictions related to abortions, there is an underground abortion network in Malaysia. You can read a personal account of getting an underground abortion in Malaysia here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• If you can legally obtain an abortion, they are available in the public sector and private sector. In the public sector, there is no maximum length of gestation (but 24 weeks is considered the age of viability). According to ASAP Asia, "Almost all specialist gynaecologists in the private sector will provide surgical abortion except a few who have religious objections.".
• You can potentially get the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out this link for details.
• If you are considering leaving the country to obtain a legal abortion, you can legal abortions on request in Vietnam, India and China.

Costs

If you get a legal surgical abortion, here are some prices you may see in the private sector hospitals: 1st Trimester : US$80/- to $120. 2nd Trimester : US$ 150/- to $800. For Medical abortion: US$60-$120.

There are underground abortion providers in Malaysia. We don't know the costs.

If you are pregnant and considering getting an abortion outside Malaysia, you will need to consider the following costs: transportation to the country where you will be obtaining an abortion, hotel or accommodation costs in that country, cost of the abortion in the country and the total amount of days you may need to be in the country both before and after the abortion.