Los Angeles

OVERVIEW

As the second largest city in the US, Los Angeles has an incredible variety of resources. The city is renowned for its large and thriving artist/entertainment, LGBT and immigrant communities, and California overall tends to have progressive laws compared to many other US states.

Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Los Angeles, birth control pills are legal for both minors (under 18 years old) and adults. Minors do not need parental permission to obtain birth control. While you do need a prescription for birth control, this prescription can be obtained at a pharmacy. Unlike many other US states, which require that you actually visit a physician for a prescription, California (as of April 2016) does not require that you visit a physician for self-administered hormonal contraception, which includes patches, pills and vaginal rings. For birth control that requires a physician, like IUDs, you will still need to visit a doctor.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• The easiest way (but necessarily cheapest) way to get birth control is at LA pharmacies, such as CVS or Rite-Aid. Note that, if you don't have health insurance, the costs can be pretty expensive.
• If you are insured under your employer in California, there is also a very good chance that you are insured under Kaiser Permanente. Their main site, including the pharmacy, is found at 4867 Sunset Blvd.
• Planned Parenthood, which has over 10 locations in LA, provides many lower-cost birth control services, including birth control implant, birth control patch, birth control pill, birth control shot, birth control vaginal ring (NuvaRing), diaphragm, condom, female condom, fertility awareness method, IUD (hormonal), IUD (copper), etc. For a relatively low cost, Planned Parenthood writes and fulfills birth control prescriptions. If you don't have a prescription, you can receive the prescription and pills in the same day.
• FPA Women's Health offers free services if you are a California resident, have no other health coverage for the procedure you need and meet specific income requirements. They have Mirena, Paragard, Nexplanon, Skyla, Essure, tubal sterilization, the depo shot, the pill and the vaginal ring. They have locations in Downtown LA, Santa Monica, San Fernando Valley, etc.

Regarding condoms, there's little social stigma, and they can be purchased in most drug stores or pharmacies.

Costs

If you are an American citizen, your birth control exam/consultation may be covered for free, with no copay. As for birth control prices, there is no one standard price, as this greatly depends on which method is used. But, if you are uninsured, you can expect to pay between $20-$150/month supply of pills. For IUD insertion, you can expect to pay $175-600 if uninsured (or $10-$30 copay if insured).

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

• FPA Women's Health has locations in Downtown LA, Santa Monica, San Fernando Valley, etc. (877) 883.7264

STD Tests

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic (http://www.hsfreeclinic.org/)