Gynopedia needs your support! Please consider contributing content, translating a page, or making a donation today. With your support, we can sustain and expand the website. Gynopedia has no corporate sponsors or advertisers. Your support is crucial and deeply appreciated.
Panama City
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
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
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 Panama, emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills) are available, but a prescription is technically required. We still need to confirm whether these laws are commonly followed by pharmacists (if you know, update this page).[1]
What to Get & Where to Get It
- You can obtain emergency contraceptive pills (morning after pills), but you may need a prescription (we need to confirm this). Some brand you may find at family planning clinics are Postinor 1 and Pregnon 1.5.[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
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 Panama, there are no known travel or residency restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. This means that you can enter the country, regardless of your HIV status, and you should not be deported if you test positive for HIV while you are in the country.[3]
Testing Facilities
Support
Costs
Medications & Vaccines
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
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.
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
- You can get MeLuna menstrual cup from Amapola Panama (Balboa, Ancón, Calle Bayano, amapolapanama@gmail.com)
Costs
Gynecological Exams
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
Pregnancy
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
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
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
Advocacy & Counseling
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
List of Additional Resources
- Ministry of Health of the Republic of Panama
- The Asociacion Panameña para el Planeamiento de la Familia (APLAFA): "The Asociacion Panameña para el Planeamiento de la Familia (APLAFA) provides family life education for the young, offering information and education on family planning and human sexuality. It runs a subsidized contraceptive service, and has agreements with public health bodies to provide integrated health services in a number of locations across the country. To maximize the organization’s reach, it also works with a number of other agencies and with private physicians."
- PSI Panama: "PASMO/Panama began its operations in 2003 focusing their efforts on sexual health with an emphasis on preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections, improving the availability of and access to products that promote health, and promoting healthy behaviors through the tools of social marketing. After 11 years of PASMO in Panama, we expanded our operations with three commercial distributors who are responsible for the development and sale of our social marketing product around the country. Also we work with five NGOs around the country who are implementing our USAID Combination Prevention Program. Our team has likewise expanded to 12 collaborators and we are well known throughout Panama."
- Equaldex - Panama: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Panama.