Asmara

Eritrea / Asmara

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 2015, about 20% of Eritrean women (who were married/in unions and between 15-49 years old) used any form of contraception, including traditional methods. This was lower than the Eastern African average, in which about 40% of women used contraception. Furthermore, about 30% of Eritrean women have unmet family planning needs, which is a bit higher than the Eastern African average (about 24% of women). The most common forms of contraception were injectables (8% of women), pills (4% of women), and various traditional methods (3% of women). Other forms of contraception were male condoms (2% of women), IUDs (1% of women), the rhythm method (1% of women), female sterilization (less than 1% of women), and withdrawal (less than 1% of women). There were essentially no recorded users of contraceptive implants, vaginal barrier methods, or male sterilization as their primary form of contraception.

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

It was estimated that about 10% of Eritrean women (of reproductive age) have knowledge of emergency contraceptive options, as of 2002, and 0.4% of Eritrean women (of reproductive age) have ever used emergency contraceptive pills have ever used emergency contraceptive pills, as of 2002.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• 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.

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.

Medications & Vaccines

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.

Gynecological Exams

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is 501 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to 2015 data. This MMR is ranked 20th in the world, meaning that there is a significant MMR problem in Eritrea.

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.

Advocacy & Counseling

List of Additional Resources

• Information on Eritrean Health Care
• UNFPA - Eritrea
• Equaldex - Eritrea: Click here to learn about LGBTQ rights and laws in Eritrea. It is important to understand that homosexuality is illegal in Eritrea.