Copenhagen

Denmark / Zealand / Copenhagen

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 Denmark, you need a prescription to obtain birth control pills. According to a 2015 report, it was found that 70.8% of Danish women (who are married or in unions) use any form of contraception, including traditional methods, and 9.4% have unmet family planning needs.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Femicept birth control pills purchased in Denmark (35 dkk for a 3-month supply)

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 Denmark, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter. No prescription is needed and there are no age restrictions. You can obtain emergency contraceptive pills at family planning clinics, pharmacies and IPPF-affiliated programs, and it's estimated that about 20% of Danish women have ever used ECPs, according to 2010 data.

You can also obtain an IUD, which is included in the national policy guidelines as a valid form of emergency contraception. However, this will require a visit to a licensed health care practitioner to insert the IUD, so this will take more time than simply obtaining ECPs over-the-counter.

The official guidelines for ECP usage in Denmark can be found in the DSOG, which was published in 2009. Later, in 2015, the Family Planning Association Sex & Samfund published new information in response to the change in UPA EC’s status.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• In Denmark, you can obtain emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) at pharmacies, health care clinics and IPPF-affiliated programs. No prescription is needed and there are no age restrictions. Some pills you can expect to see are ellaOne, which is the longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. You also may find Levonelle 1500 or NorLevo 1.5mg. You may also find Postinor For updated instructions on how to take these pills, click here.
• You can also use an intrauterine device (IUD) as a form of emergency contraception. Contact a licensed health care provider in Denmark to learn more details.
• If you can't access dedicated emergency contraception, you can use regular birth control pills are replacement ECPs. To do this, you can take take brands like Microluton, Microval, Dystrol, Neogentrol, Neogynon, Nordiol, Gynatrol, Microgyn or Nordette. For updated instructions on how to take these pills, click here.

Costs

The cost of ECPs are not covered by Danish social security and will not be reimbursed. For LNG type of emergency contraceptive pills (like Levonelle 1500, NorLevo and Postinor), you can expect to pay around € 12.45. For UPA type of emergency contraceptive pills (like ellaOne), you can expect to pay around € 23.36.

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.

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.