Tel Aviv

Israel / Tel Aviv

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 Israel, 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.
• Regarding condoms, there's little social stigma, and they can be purchased in most pharmacies. You will need a prescription, written by a physician, to obtain many forms of birth control, such as pills, IUD, etc. If you are an Israeli citizen, you can buy the pill at most pharmacies at a discount. You can typically fill a prescription as soon as it is written.

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 Tel Aviv, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter at pharmacies. No prescription is required. There are no age restrictions regarding who can purchase emergency contraceptive pills, but there may be labeling on pill packaging that says something along the lines of: "If you are under the age of 16, it is advisable to consult a doctor before starting treatment. If you have started treatment and taken EC without consulting a doctor, contact a doctor as soon as possible.”

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, Postinor Life, and ella.
• 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.

Costs

• In 2013, the price range for LNG emergency contraceptive pills was 55 ILS to 100 ILS and the price for UPA emergency contraceptive pills was about 166 ILS.

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.

Laws & Social Stigmas

Abortion in Israel is permitted in most cases. It is determined by a termination committee under various circumstances. However, a large percentage of abortions are done illegally in private clinics. Israel generally ignores these - no doctor or patient has ever been prosecuted.