Kaunas

Lithuania / Kaunas

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 Lithuania, 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.

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 Lithuania, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available over-the-counter at pharmacies. No prescription is required.

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 Escapelle and Postinor-2.
• 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

• You can expect to pay around € 15 for LNG emergency contraceptive pills (like Escapelle and Postinor-2) and € 30 for UPA emergency contraceptive pills (like ellaOne) at pharmacies in Lithuania, as of 2013.
• The cost of emergency contraception is not covered or reimbursed by social security in Lithuania.

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

In Lithuania, there are no known travel restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. This means that you can enter the country, regardless of your HIV status, and you will not be asked for a medical certificate. If you plan to apply for legal residency in Lithuania, you may be asked to declare whether you have a public health-threatening disease. It is important to understand that Lithuania does not actually define HIV/AIDS as a public health-threatening disease. According to HIVTravel, "HIV+ people are advised not to indicate that they have a public health-threatening disease while filling in applications for residency in order to circumvent possible problems."

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.

List of Additional Resources

• Ministry of Health of The Republic of Lithuania
• The Family Planning and Sexual Health Association of Lithuania (FPSHA): "The Family Planning and Sexual Health Association of Lithuania (FPSHA) focuses on educational campaigns, advocacy and the protection of reproductive and sexual rights. The organization runs training courses for health personnel and teachers, and advocates for the introduction of sex education in the school curriculum."
• Equaldex - Lithuania: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Lithuania.