Panama City

Panama / Central Panama / Panama City

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 Panama, you can purchase condoms or oral contraceptives (birth control pills) without a prescription. Other forms of contraception, such as contraceptive implants, shots, patches, or IUDs, are also available. However, female sterilization in public health centers is only available after a woman has has two or more babies.

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 Panama, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available, but a prescription is technically required. We still need to confirm whether these laws are commonly followed by pharmacists (if you know, update this page).

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can obtain emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills), but you may need a prescription (we need to confirm this). Some brand you may find at family planning clinics are Postinor 1 and Pregnon 1.5.
• Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Check to see if your country carries ellaOne. If your country doesn't carry ellaOne, copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If none of these options are available, and it's been over 3 days since you had unprotected sex, you can still take EC, which may work up to 5 days. Note that EC pills are not 100% effective and should be taken as soon as possible.

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

In Panama, there are no known travel or residency restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. This means that you can enter the country, regardless of your HIV status, and you should not be deported if you test positive for HIV while you are in the country.

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

• You can get MeLuna menstrual cup from Amapola Panama (Balboa, Ancón, Calle Bayano, amapolapanama@gmail.com)

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Many locals recommended Pacifica Salud, which is a hospital affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Their website is in both Spanish and English, and it appears to be the best (or one of the best) hospitals in Panama City. They can be reached via phone (Panama: 204-8000) or email (info@pacificasalud.com). Location: Pacific Boulevard and Vía Punta Darién, Panama City, Panama. Below, we have listed some obstetricians and gynecologists that have been recommended by locals:
  • Ivonne Shanida De León Maylín: This ob/gyn was recommended by a Panama City local. You can find her at Consultorios Pacífica Salud. The cost of a visit was around 50 Panamanian Balboa in 2019. A local remembered her offering two types of pap smears -- one cost around 50 Balboa, and the other was much more expensive, at around 120 Balboa (but we'll need more info to confirm).
  • Tania Tamara Herrera Rodriguez: This ob/gyn was recommended by a Panama City local. Information from the doctor: "Professional practice of 16 years, with excellent results and reliability in our studies and treatments. Being the first maternal Fetal subspecialist in the country, I started screening first trimester, structural ultrasound and echocardiography. Subsequently with surgery by laparoscopy, hysteroscopy and delivery without unnecessary interventions."
  • Dr. Icela Subía: This ob/gyn was recommended by a Panama City local. You can find her at Consultorios Pacífica Salud. The local (an expat) said: "Her consultation fee is $60 and $20 with Mapfre insurance." (May 2019)
  • Mario Gilberto Vega Rich: This ob/gyn was recommended by a Panama City local. He specializes in gynecology, obstetrics, reproductive endocrinology, and infertility.
  • Pedro Antonio Ponce Barberena: This ob/gyn was recommended by a Panama City local. He specializes in gynecology, obstetrics, reproductive endocrinology, and infertility.
• Dr. Gladys Olmos de Miguelena: This is an ob/gyn in Panama that was recommended by a local. She can be found at Clinique Femme in Panama City, which specializes in: Obstetrics, Gynecology, Ultrasound 3D / 4D, Post-Menopause, and other services. Address: Royal Center surgeries, Section C, Office 337. Tel: 387-7789. Email: cliniquefemme@gmail.com
• Dr. Darcy Smith: This is an ob/gyn in Panama that was recommended by a local. As for prices, she said that she paid: "around 60, I think. He's covered by my insurance, so I usually pay 30." Address: calle 39 este y ave justo arosemena, centro medico de alta especialidad, piso 9 consultorio 1. Phone: 395-3310. Hours: 9 am-3 pm, Monday to Friday. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Costs

• From speaking with a few locals in 2019, we found that they paid between 40-120 Panamanian Balboa on average (before insurance kicked in) for gynecological exams and pap smears at private hospitals and clinics. However, we'll need to collect more data to have a better understanding of local prices.

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 Panama, abortion is only permitted in certain circumstances, which include: when the pregnancy endangers the life or physical health of the pregnant person, or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. In all other cases, abortion is not legally permitted. This means that abortion is not legally available upon request in Panama. The abortion laws can be found in the Penal Code of Panama.

For a therapeutic abortion to be legal, there are certain procedures that must be followed. First, the pregnant person must submit a formal written request for an abortion. Then, a multidisciplinary panel, which is appointed by the Ministry of Health, needs to review the request and determine if there is a serious health risk. If the commission chooses to authorize the abortion, the procedure should be performed in a state hospital in the region where the request was submitted.

For an abortion due to rape or incest to be legal, there typically needs to be a court proceeding to authorize that the pregnancy is a result of such circumstances.

List of Additional Resources

• Ministry of Health of the Republic of Panama
• The Asociacion Panameña para el Planeamiento de la Familia (APLAFA): "The Asociacion Panameña para el Planeamiento de la Familia (APLAFA) provides family life education for the young, offering information and education on family planning and human sexuality. It runs a subsidized contraceptive service, and has agreements with public health bodies to provide integrated health services in a number of locations across the country. To maximize the organization’s reach, it also works with a number of other agencies and with private physicians."
• PSI Panama: "PASMO/Panama began its operations in 2003 focusing their efforts on sexual health with an emphasis on preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections, improving the availability of and access to products that promote health, and promoting healthy behaviors through the tools of social marketing. After 11 years of PASMO in Panama, we expanded our operations with three commercial distributors who are responsible for the development and sale of our social marketing product around the country. Also we work with five NGOs around the country who are implementing our USAID Combination Prevention Program. Our team has likewise expanded to 12 collaborators and we are well known throughout Panama."
• Equaldex - Panama: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Panama.
• Lonely Planet - Info for LGBT Travelers in Panama