Guatemala City

Guatemala / Central Highlands / Guatemala City

OVERVIEW

In Guatemala City, you will find women's health care resources, but not without some challenges. Birth control is legal and available without a prescription. There are varying reports regarding the legality and availability of emergency contraception (the morning after pill), but most pharmacists tend to advise women to take birth control as replacement emergency contraceptive (due to lack of availability). While you can find pads and tampons in the city, there are no known sellers of menstrual cups. Note that, once you're outside of cities in Guatemala, it may be difficult to find many menstrual products. You can receive STD/STI testing at medical facilities, and there are no travel restrictions tied to anyone who tests positive for any STI. Abortion is generally illegal, unless the woman's life is in put in jeopardy by pregnancy.

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 Guatemala, no prescription is required to purchase birth control. In 2015, it was estimated that 57.2% of Guatemalan women (who are married or in unions, and of reproductive age) used a modern contraception method. It was also estimated that 17.3% of Guatemalan women, who are married or in unions, have unmet family planning needs.

What to Get & Where to Get It

In Guatemala, some birth control brands you can expect to see are Denoval, Neogynon, Nordiol, Ovral, Lo-Femenal. Microgynon and Nordette. They can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription.

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

There are varying reports regarding the legality and accessibility of EC (morning after pill) in Guatemala. However, it can generally be stated that dedicated EC is either fully illegal or very hard to get. For this reason, if you do need some form of EC, it's recommended to use hormonal birth control as replacement EC. You'll find instructions below in the "What to Get & Where to Get It" section on how to do this. There are also many pharmacists in Guatemala City who will be willing to help you understand how to take birth control as EC as well.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Although Guatemala doesn't currently 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.

For dedicated Products / Progestin Only (the morning after pill) Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Postinor 1

If you can't access the morning after pill, you can use Oral Contraceptives (Progestin-Estrogen Combined) used for EC 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:

• Denoval
• Neogynon
• Nordiol
• Ovral

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

• Lo-Femenal
• Microgynon
• Nordette

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

There are no travel restrictions applied to anyone who is HIV+ or anyone who has any STI.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Testing Facilities

• CAS Ciudad de GuatemalaL Sede Central: Confidential and secure STD tests, including HIV and syphilis. Appears to offer tests for free. Address: 7a. Calle 3-42 Zona 1 (Atrás de la Hemeroteca Nacional)., Jornadas de Salud para Chavos del Rollo , De lunes a viernes de 16:00 a 20:00 Hrs., Sábados de 14:00 a 20:00 Hrs.
• CAS Sede Chimaltenango: 2da. Calle "A" 6-18 Zona 1, Chimaltenango. Phone: 5468-3135 / 4210-6225 / 4502-8192
• CAS Sede Sololá: Calle del Frutal PB Enriquez Zona 2, Calle de la Elim Panajachel. Contáctanos: 4226-7100
• CAS Sede Totonicapán: Paraje Tierra Blanca, Cantón Chuicruz -CDRO-. Phone: 5754-6059 / 5782-2449 / 4283-5708
• UNIDAD DE ATENCIÓN INTEGRAL Clínica Luis Ángel García (CFLAG) Hospital: San Juan de Dios. Hospital San Juan de Dios clínica 19, entrada por la consulta externa de adultos, 9 calle "A," Tel. 2232-9589

Support

• Asociación Gente Positiva: "Offers medical assistance, psychological assistance, nutritional counseling, access to a medicine bank, legal assistance, job assistance, education and prevention, accompaniment and social work in Guatemala City. Website in Spanish and English."
• Association for prevention: Phone: +502 220 1332; 253 3453, E-mail: oasis@gua.gbm.net, Contact person: Ruben Mayorga
• APAES Solidaridad for prevention: 2 avenida 11 40 zona 1, Guatemala / Guatemala, Phone: +502 232 7649; 220 7225, Contact person: Mario Andrade
• OASIS: 6a. Ave. 11-40 zona 1, Guatemala / Guatemala, Phone: 220 1332; 253 3453, Fax: 232 1021, E-mail: oasisgua@infovia.com.gt
• ASI (Carlitos): 1a Ave.11-19 zona 1, 20. Nivel, Guatemala / Guatemala, Phone: 220 8506; 220 8509; 220 8511, Fax: 251 6531, E-mail: asiagpc@guate.net

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

There is currently no common source of PrEP in Guatemala.

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 Guatemala City, you should be able to find pads and tampons. For a better selection, it's recommended to visit supermarkets, like La Torre of Paiz. There appears to be no sellers of menstrual cups in Guatemala (i.e. no DiavCup, MoonCup, LadyCup, Lunette, etc.), so menstrual cups should be purchased online. Note that, once you're in rural areas in Guatemala, you may not find any feminine hygiene products at all, aside from occasionally seeing Kotex pads.

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Gynecare Women's Health Clinic: 2278-9212, 2278-9213, Open 9:00AM - 6:00PM.

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 Guatemala, abortion is illegal in almost all cases, except for when the woman's life is endangered. As stated in Penal Code, Decree Number 17-73 (1973), Guatemalan law believes that "Abortion is the death of the product of conception at any time of pregnancy." Furthermore, "A woman who causes her abortion or consents to another person causing it, shall be punished with imprisonment of one to three years. If driven for reasons linked intimately to her state that produce undoubted psychic disturbance, the penalty shall be imprisonment of six months to two years."

List of Additional Resources

• Wings: "WINGS is a US and Guatemala registered nonprofit which for 15 years has provided family planning education and reproductive health services to marginalized communities in Guatemala. We believe that reproductive health is the first step in the fight against poverty, chronic malnutrition, maternal and infant deaths and gender inequality." Address: 9a Calle Poniente #17, Residenciales El Rosario #3, La Antigua Guatemala, (+502) 7832-5130
• UPAVIM: "The mission of our organization, UPAVIM, is to empower the women of our community, giving them an opportunity to improve the quality of life, for themselves and for their families. We pursue this mission by giving them access to education, employment opportunities, daycare services for their children, health care services, and programs for personal and professional development. We are a group of 75 women who live in the marginalized communities of Búcaro, La Esperanza, El Mezquital and Villa Lobos I and II, in Zone 12 of Guatemala City. We are all mothers and homemakers. Some of us are widows, some of us have been abandoned by our husbands or we confront alcoholism and/or domestic violence in our families. Many of us are the sole providers of economic support for our families."