Zürich

Switzerland / Zürich

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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 Switzerland, you can purchase condoms without a prescription at pharmacies. However, you need a prescription to obtain most other forms of contraception, such as birth control pills, implants, injectables, and IUDs.

In 2015, it was estimated that about 77% of Swiss women (who were married/in unions and between the ages of 15-49) were using any form of contraception, including traditional methods. This was higher than the Western European average (70% of women).

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 to prevent pregnancy. 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 Switzerland, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter at pharmacies. No prescription is required, and there are no age restrictions on who can purchase the pills. For a few years, ellaOne was available at pharmacies by prescription-only, but it has been available over-the-counter at pharmacies since November 2015.

There are national policies and guidelines regarding emergency contraception. In 2014, a paper was published by a team of gynecologists, pharmacies, and family planning center health workers. The paper outlines three forms of acceptable emergency contraception, according to the team, which include: levonorgestrel EC pills, ulipristal acetate EC pills, and copper IUDs. The paper is available in German and French. Furthermore, in 2016, the Interdisciplinary Group of Experts on EC (IENK) developed a set of tools for pharmacists, which included a decision making chart, protocols to how to handle a missed pill, a guide for how to refer women to health services, and more. You can read these guidelines in French.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• You can find emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) at pharmacies, and they are sold over-the-counter. Some brands you may find are NorLevo 1.5mg and ellaOne.
• 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.

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.

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Dr. med. Charles R. Wolf: This doctor speaks German and English. He comes highly recommended from a local who says, "Super nice and thorough and answers questions thoroughly and patiently... He's really super cool. Some doctors are not cool with foreigners. He's great!"

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.