Bogotá

Colombia / Andino / Bogota

OVERVIEW

Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Colombia, contraceptives are legal and widely available. It is estimated that 56-61% of Colombian women (ages 15-49) use some form of birth control, according to a national study. However, 80% of Colombian women who are sexually active or in relationships use contraceptives.

In 2010, the Colombian Congress passed a law that guaranteed free access to contraceptives for all citizens, including procedures like vasectomies and sterilization. When the law first passed, the first communities to receive attention were those most in need. As reported by the LA Times in 2010, "The benefits are only now filtering down to shanty neighborhoods... where birthrates are among the nation's highest, particularly among teenagers." Furthermore, "Activists hail the legislation as a progressive measure for reproductive rights, part of a general liberalizing trend in this largely Roman Catholic nation that has included recent rulings by the constitutional court removing penalties for performing abortions." The LA Times also reported on the possible economic benefits of this legislation: "Colombia's healthcare system is on the verge of collapse because of the constitutional guarantees of universal care, as funding from tax and other government revenue falls short. Because maternity and neonatal care are among the healthcare system's fastest-growing costs, free contraceptive medicine and surgeries could end up saving the government money."

Most recently, Colombia has became the country with the second highest rate of Zika viruses. This has lead the Colombian government and the Pope to promote condom usage for the Colombian people.

Here's is a thread (from back in 2011) about public attitude toward birth control in Colombia.

What to Get & Where to Get It

It appears that you can get hormonal injectables (like Depo-Provera) at pharmacies in Colombia

Here are some oral contraceptive brands you can expect to see in Bogota: Neogynon, Noral, Nordiol, Microfemin, Microfemin CD, Microgynon, Microgynon 28 and Nordette.

Here are some major pharmacies to consider, all of which provide home delivery of medication:

• Acuña: This is a chain store of pharmacies with home delivery. Tel: (1) 4882888
• Cafam: Tel: (1) 3077011
• Colsubsidio: Tel: (1) 7450999
• Farmacity: Tel: (1) 6214524
• Farmasanitas: 24 hours. Another big Colombian pharmacy chain with home delivery. Tel: (1) 4865000
• Farmatodo: Open 24 hours. Home delivery. This is a chain-store pharmacy, like CVS in the USA. Tel: (1) 7469000
• La rebaja: Tel: 018000 939900
• Locatel: Tel: (1) 4192525
• Droguerias Olimpica: Another big Colombian chain with home delivery. Tel: (1) 6064000
• Superpharma: Big drugstore offering home delivery. Tel: (1) 4111010

Costs

Birth control should cost between 18,000-20,000 COP. In 2011, Microgynon (birth control) 21 tablets could be found for 8,374 COP, injectable birth control cost about 14,000 COP, IUD insertion was about $23 and removal was about $17.

Emergency Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

You can access emergency contraception (the morning after pill) in Colombia. While you need a prescription to obtain EC, it appears that most pharmacists sell EC without a prescription. From a legal standpoint, there are no age restrictions for purchasing EC. However, many Colombian pharmacists reportedly do not sell EC to teens due to personal or moral objections. If you are a teen and you need to buy EC, it's recommended that you seek out a few pharmacies or have an older female purchase EC for you.

Here's a personal account of talking to various Bogota pharmacies about EC.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Information provided by Princeton EC Website:

Dedicated Products / Progestin Only Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Escinor 1.5
• NorLevo 1.5mg
• PostDay 1
• Postinor 1

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Emergyn
• PostDay
• Postinor-2
• Pregnon
• Tace

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin Only Take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Microlut

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin-Estrogen Combined Note: in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later:

• Neogynon
• Noral
• Nordiol

Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

• Microfemin
• Microfemin CD
• Microgynon
• Microgynon 28
• Nordette

Take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later:

• Microgynon Suave

Costs

In 2012, EC was about 400,000 - 500,000 COP.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Laws & Social Stigmas

Regarding HIV, 9% of all Latin American HIV infections occur in Colombia.

There appears to be no travel restrictions related to people with HIV. According to HIVTravel: "The Colombian Embassy in Brazil informs us that the Colombian authorities have never requested HIV-specific information from people entering the country. Proof of Yellow Fever vaccination is required from people who have visited endemic areas. The Embassy refers to the Public Health General Director in Bogotá."

What to Get & Where to Get It

In Spanish, this is how you say STDs: "Enfermedades de transmisión sexual."

Testing Facilities

• Profamilia: This is basically the Planned Parenthood-like organization of Colombia. Provides STI tests and other sexual/reproductive health services. Has 66 facilities, including mobile clinics, throughout Colombia. Calle 34 #14-52, Bogotá, D.C. Colombia, P: (57-1) 339-0900. Bogota Helpline: 489-1664. Rest of the country helpline (toll free): 01-8000-110-900.

Support

• Fundación Santa Fé de Bogotà: Calle 119 (#) 9-33
• SIDA - Fundación Apoyemonos: CRA. 15 (#) 59 - 57 Ap. 503
• Revista Indectable: An online magazine for people living with HIV. Has a special section for women.
• Fundación Apoyarte: Address: Carrera 15 N°124-29 Of 416 – Edificio las Arcadas, Bogotá - Colombia, Telephone: +57 1 320 4919605, Email: comunicaciones@fundapoyarte.org
• Instituto Nacional de Salud: Vigilancia y Análisis del Riesgo en Salud Pública, Address: Avenida calle 26 No. 51-60, Zona 6 CAN Bogotá, Telephone: +57 1 2207700, Fax: +57 1 2200901, Email: contactenos@ins.gov.co
• Liga Colombiana de Lucha Contra el SIDA: Address: Cl 32 carrera 15, Bogotá, Telephone: +57 1 2454757, Fax: +57 1 2454757, Email: jpacheco@ligasida.org.co
• Red Colombiana de PVVS - RECOLVIH: Address: Calle 9 # 2 - 73, Barrio La Candelaria, Bogotá, Telephone: +57 314 3399985, Email: recolvihbogota@gmail.com
• Red Latinoamericana de Personas con VIH/SIDA - REDLA+: Secretario Regional, Address: Calidonia, Peru Avenue and 35 East Street, Masnou Building, 2-D, Panamá, Telephone: +507 396 5161, Fax: +507 396 5160, Email: repo_pa@yahoo.com

Medication & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

If you have a yeast infection, ask a pharmacist for a local version of Fluconazole. If you have a urinary tract infection, you can say that you have a "infección en las vías urinarias."

Menstruation

What to Get & Where to Get It

In Bogota, you'll be able to find pads, tampons and menstrual cups. For pads, one of the most common brands is "Nosotras," which are maxipads that vary in absorbency. For tampons, you can expect to find tampons without applicators, particularly OB. Check out the OB Colombia website for details. For DivaCup, it's sold at Proveestetica (Contact: María Sanchez, E-mail: s.maryh24@hotmail.com; andresfgalvis@hotmail.com, Tel. 1-3037451, Cel. 3122547900). For Ladycup, check out Ladycup Colombia. There are no known sellers of MoonCup or Lunette in Colombia, so if you're interested in those brands, they should be purchased online. For menstrual underwear, you'll also probably need to buy them online.

Costs

For a box of tampons, you can expect to pay around 15,883 COP.

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Colombia, women are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave. They can leave up to 2 weeks before their expected date of delivery. By one week before expected delivery, it is mandatory that the woman takes maternity leave. As detailed in AngloInfo: "After the 37th week of pregnancy, the mother should ask her doctor to prepare a Licencia de maternidad pre parto, entitling her to maternity leave one or two weeks prior to the birth of the baby. In the event of a premature birth the mother should contact the health service provider to follow the procedure with the employer."

Abortion

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Colombia, abortion is legal under three circumstances: to save the life of the woman, risk of fatal fetal malformations and cases of rape, incest or non-consensual insemination. For cases dealing with maternal health, this decision was left to medical authorities (there is no official court finding on what is included). For fetal malformations, there are no specific provisions for what qualifies at the court level, so this is left to medical opinion. For cases of rape, incest or non-consensual insemination, a report must be made to authorities. In all other cases, such as to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, economic or social reasons, or available on request, are not legal reasons, according to the 2006 Colombian Constitutional Court ruling.

During the 2006 court rulings, the court also considered conscientious objectors. It was decided that health care centers (clinics, hospitals, etc) cannot refuse to perform an abortion. However, doctors can refuse to perform abortions in religious grounds. If this is the case, they must refer women to providers who can perform abortions.

For decades, the abortion rate

In 2008, it was estimated that 400,400 abortions were performed in Colombia, and only 322 of the abortions were legal. Yet it should be noted that, for decades, the abortion rate in Colombia has remained pretty consistent. For example, the rate was 36 abortions per 1000 women (of reproductive age) in 1989, and it was 39 women out of 1000 women in 2008. Some of the highest rates of abortion are in Bogota. As reported by the Center for Reproductive Rights: "While the government continues to demonstrate its commitment to the promotion and protection of reproductive rights, women in Colombia still face barriers to accessing safe abortion services, such as onerous medical requirements to prove they qualify for a legal abortion, as well as refusals to provide safe abortion services by doctors, medical institutions —and even judges—based on their personal or moral objections."

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Fundación Oriéntame: One of the two main nonprofit clinics in Bogotá that provide legal abortion services. You can read an account by someone who worked at Fundacion Orientame.