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Port-au-Prince
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 Haiti, a staggeringly low rate of 37.8% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 report using any kind of contraception at all with an overwhelming majority of them opting for the contraceptive injection. This is the lowest rate of any Caribbean country.[1]
What to Get & Where to Get It
According to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, there are over 20 types of hormonal contraceptives available. Most that are available are phasic and combined oral pills, but there is also a wide variety of hormonal implants available. There is only one hormonal IUD available by the name of "Mirena." The contraceptive ring (Nuva Ring) does not seem to available for purchase in Haiti.[2] For a comprehensive list of all available hormonal contraceptive available in the country, visit the Haiti IPPF page.
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
The morning after pill is not widely available over the counter in Port-au-Prince. If it can be found, it is likely imported and will contain instructions in a foreign language which may render the product useless.[3] If you are in need of emergency contraception in Haiti, you have the option of taking larger doses of regular hormonal birth control instead of the morning after pill.[4]
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.
The following is a list of available oral Contraceptives used for emergency contraception (Progestin Only)[5]
Take 40 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex: Ovrette Take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex: Microval
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: Eugynon Neogynon Nordiol Ovral Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later: Lo-Femenal Minigynon 30 Nordette
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
What to Get & Where to Get It
Testing Facilities
- AHF Haiti - Avenue Lamartiniere 1, Impasse Rigaud, Bois Verna Port-au-Prince Haiti [6]
Support
If someone you know is incarcerated in Port-au-Prince or elsewhere in Haiti and has contracted or is at risk of contracting HIV, the Aids Healthcare Foundation can help. They provide testing and medicine for those in need. Visit their website for more information.
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
Costs
Gynecological Exams
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
Pregnancy
Laws & Social Stigmas
All women in Haiti are legally entitled to 6 weeks of maternity leave with 100% of their average pay to be compensated by their employer.[7] However, the reality of the situation can be much different and many women find that they are not in a position to receive this aid.
What to Get & Where to Get It
An option available for women in need of medical care regarding their pregnancy is provided by the organization Médecins Sans Frontièreshas at least one location in Port-au-Prince that offers prenatal care for women with pressing health complications regarding their pregnancy. Unfortunately, their facilities are often overwhelmed with too many patients seeking aid and only have room for very few of them. However, these facilities do their best not to reject any woman in labor, regardless of their health status.[8] The Pran Men’m clinic is a facility offering the emergency medical assistance required during the 72 hours following an assault, along with longer-term medical care and psychological support. Located in the Delmas 33 neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, MSF’s 148-bed Centre de Référence des Urgences en Obstétrique (CRUO) provides care to pregnant women experiencing serious and life-threatening complications such as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, obstetric haemorrhage, obstructed labour or uterine rupture. Services include postnatal care, family planning and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, as well as neonatal care and mental health support. In 2015, the team carried out more than 18,300 consultations, assisted over 6,000 births and admitted 2,500 babies to the neonatal ward. The 10-bed ‘Cholernity’ ward, which provides specialised treatment for pregnant women with cholera, admitted 144 patients. [9]
Costs
The cost for a stay in a Public hospital in Port-au-Prince can cost less than 1 USD a day. However, the patient is accountable to pay for all other expenses, such as syringes, medicine, transportation etc. Because of this, the price of giving birth in a public hospital is out of the question for most people since about 60% of Haiti lives beneath the poverty line.
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
Haiti has some of the strictest laws regarding abortion in the world. There are no grounds in which abortions are legally permitted[10] with the rare exception that it be necessary to save the mother's life, but even that is not guaranteed by law. Women often turn to highly unsafe and illegal underground abortion options. In large part, this is also due to the fact the contraception itself is not widely accepted, available or properly used. [11] Despite the fact that it is illegal, abortion is common in Haiti. [12] The number of post-abortion deaths in Haiti is unknown, but physicians say post-abortion complications are a leading cause of maternal death, with the health ministry estimating it could possibly account for as many as 30 percent of them. [13]
What to Get & Where to Get It
It is considered extremely dangerous by almost all health professionals to seek an unlicensed abortion illegally. The most affordable and safest alternative to this is to travel to Miami, Florida and get the procedure done there. Additionally, you may be able to order the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out this link for details
Costs
N/A
Advocacy & Counseling
Laws & Social Stigmas
What to Get & Where to Get It
Costs
List of Additional Resources
References
- ↑ http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf
- ↑ http://contraceptive.ippf.org/search IPPF
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/opinion/sunday/haitis-silenced-victims.html New York Times
- ↑ http://ec.princeton.edu/countryquery.asp
- ↑ http://ec.princeton.edu/index.html
- ↑ https://www.aidshealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/AHF-GLOBAL-CLINIC-DIRECTORY-2014.pdf
- ↑ http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_242615.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ft.com/content/4ecb945a-1e97-3369-9117-8fb3c2b61908
- ↑ http://www.msf.org/en/where-we-work/haiti
- ↑ https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/factsheet/ib_aww-latin-america.pdf
- ↑ http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20131128/women-in-haiti-embracing-birth-control-despite-taboos
- ↑ http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/20644-a-look-at-abortion-in-haiti
- ↑ http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20131128/women-in-haiti-embracing-birth-control-despite-taboos