Berlin

Germany / Eastern Germany / Berlin

OVERVIEW

Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Germany, you need a prescription to obtain hormonal contraceptives ("verhütungsmittel" in German), such as the pill, IUDs, etc. So you will need to arrange an appointment with a gynecologist ("frauenarzt" in German) to obtain the prescription. If you a prescription from another country, there is a good chance that the pharmacy will accept the prescription and issue you the medication.

The majority of women (of reproductive age) in Germany are using some form of contraception. In the 1990s, it was calculated that 74.7% of German women were using contraception with 58.60% of these women on the pill.

Condoms are available in nearly all drug stores or pharmacies.

What to Get & Where to Get It

If you already have a prescription, you can visit a pharmacy ("apotheke"), which is typically open from 9:00-18:00, Monday to Friday, and 9:00-12:00 on Saturdays. If you do not yet have a prescription, you'll need to arrange an appointment with a doctor.

Costs

For women under 18 years, birth control pills are free or can be purchased with a 5 euro copay (as of 2015). For women over 18, they will need to pay the full price, which will vary based on the brand. But a one month supply of Desofemine cost 15 euro in 2015.

Emergency Contraception

What to Get & Where to Get It

For dedicated EC products, there's ellaOne, an anti-progestin, and you should take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex. There's also PiDaNa, a progestin, and you also should take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex. As for contraceptives used as EC, there are a variety of contraceptives in Germany, and instructions for how many to take will vary according to the pills.

Further Reading:

• Interesting Article On Getting EC in Berlin (IndieBerlin, May 2015)

Gynecological Exams

What to Get & Where to Get It

In German, "gynecologist" is "frauenarzt."