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Vientiane: Difference between revisions
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===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ||
In Laos, you can purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription.<ref>[http://www.cecinfo.org/country-by-country-information/status-availability-database/countries/laos/ EC Status and Availability: Laos]</ref> | In Laos, you can purchase emergency contraception (the morning after pill) without a prescription at pharmacies.<ref>[http://www.cecinfo.org/country-by-country-information/status-availability-database/countries/laos/ EC Status and Availability: Laos]</ref> While there are no emergency contraception pills (ECPs) that are officially registered in Laos, pills are imported from other countries and sold on pharmacy shelves. This seems to be tacitly approved by the government. The Ministry of Health has approved of pharmacies providing emergency contraception, even if no products are officially registered.<ref>[https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6874-13-14 | ||
Awareness and attitudes towards emergency contraceptive pills among young people in the entertainment places, Vientiane City, Lao PDR]</ref> | |||
Overall, public understanding of ECPs remains low. According to a 2013 study of 500 young adults in Vientiane City, only 22.4% of respondents had heard of ECPs and only 17.9% knew the proper timeframe for effective usage. Despite these low numbers, the respondents did express generally favorable views of ECPs. In fact, 85% believed that ECPs should be available in Laos and 66.8% said that they would use ECPs, if they ever needed them. Regarding the respondents who said they would not use ECPs, their major concerns were around perceived negative health effects.<ref>[https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6874-13-14 | |||
Awareness and attitudes towards emergency contraceptive pills among young people in the entertainment places, Vientiane City, Lao PDR]</ref> | |||
According to a health care professional in Laos, there is some stigma around purchasing ECPs: "EC pills are actually pretty widely available from pharmacies and providers. There is not a lot of additional stigma then with the use of regular contraceptives. Generally, stigmas are against unmarried people accessing contraceptives, but this is changing fast in Laos. In some ways, I think providers can have less stigma around EC pills for young people because they are more understanding of an emergency situation (as opposed to a young, unmarried woman having regular sex). This is just my opinion though." (July 2017) | According to a health care professional in Laos, there is some stigma around purchasing ECPs: "EC pills are actually pretty widely available from pharmacies and providers. There is not a lot of additional stigma then with the use of regular contraceptives. Generally, stigmas are against unmarried people accessing contraceptives, but this is changing fast in Laos. In some ways, I think providers can have less stigma around EC pills for young people because they are more understanding of an emergency situation (as opposed to a young, unmarried woman having regular sex). This is just my opinion though." (July 2017) | ||