Nashville

United States / Tennessee / Nashville

OVERVIEW

In Tennessee, you need a prescription for contraception (birth control). If you're a minor, you don't need parental consent or notification to get a prescription. You don't need a prescription for emergency contraception (the morning after pill) -- and, if you're a minor, you can get one emergency contraceptive brand (Plan B One Step) without a prescription. Everyone, no matter their age, needs to get a prescription for ella, which is currently considered the most effective emergency contraceptive on the market. You can easily get low-cost STI tests in the city, and some clinics offer free HIV testing. In supermarkets and convenience stores, you can find pads, tampons and menstrual cups, such as DivaCup. If you want to obtain an abortion, you must first undergo a one-on-one counseling session followed by a 48-hour wait period. If you're under 18 years old, you must usually get consent from one of parents before you receive an abortion (though you can sometimes get a judicial bypass).

Contraception (Birth Control)

Birth control sold in the USA

Condoms

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 Tennessee, you need a prescription to obtain most birth control methods, except for some methods (like condoms and spermicide). If you're a minor (under 18 years old), you can get a prescription without parental consent. If you want to be especially confidential, you can go to a Title X Clinic. These clinics are completely confidential, which means that your appointment and billing will be confidential.

At Title X Clinics, teens and adults can receive sexual and reproductive health care. They charge on a sliding-scale basis. They may be able to give you a prescription to birth control pills, as well as condoms and sexual health counseling. If you pay for their services with family health insurance and you're a teenager, your parents may see that you visited the clinic in their bills.

What to Get & Where to Get It

You can get condoms in grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and online. There are no age restrictions for purchasing condoms. Typically, a 12-pack of condoms costs around $12. Female condoms cost around $2 to $4 per condom. You can also get free condoms at health centers (like Planned Parenthood), HIV testing centers and local health departments. Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to learn where you can get free condoms in your area.

Here are some clinics that you can visit to get birth control (these are just some):

• Planned Parenthood - Nashville Health Center: The provide low-cost and LGBT-friendly services, including the birth control implant, birth control patch, birth control pill, birth control shot, birth control vaginal ring (NuvaRing), diaphragm, condom, counseling on the fertility awareness method, IUD (copper), spermicide. Some of the birth control pills offered are Micronor, Microgestin 1/20, Modicon, Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho Novum 777, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Tricyclen, Ortho-Tricyclen-Lo. Pills by Mail is available at this health center – a service that delivers birth control pills to your home each month. Birth control services are available during all business hours on a walk-in basis and during all business hours by appointment.
• Neighborhood Health: Birth Control is available including Birth Control pills, Implants and IUDs. They can also provide free counseling related to health insurance and how you may be able to pay for the services. They have multiple locations in Nashville, including the Downtown Clinic (526 8th Ave S) and Youth Clinic (1900 Charlotte Ave) - click here to see all locations.
• Davidson County Health Department: They provide birth control, including condoms, birth control pills, patch, ring, injections, IUDs, and implants. Click here to view all clinic locations. Address: 425 5th Ave N, Cordell Hull Bldg, Nashville, TN, 37243. (615) 340-5616

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 Tennessee, anyone (no matter their age) can buy Plan B One-Step without a prescription. For other brands, like Next, Next Choice One Dose, My Way and Levonorgestrel, you can buy them without a prescription if you are 17 or older. If you want the ella pill, you'll need a prescription (regardless of age).

What to Get & Where to Get It

In the United States, you'll generally be able to find Plan B One-Step, Next Choice One-Dose and My Way in pharmacies. Here's a full breakdown of what you can expect to find, thanks to the Princeton EC Website:

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

• ella

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

• My Way
• Next Choice One Dose
• Plan B One-Step
• Take Action

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Levonorgestrel Tablets (available from a pharmacist without a prescription)

If you can't access emergency contraception, many oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC. The list of potential contraceptives that can be used for this purpose is very long, and instructions vary according to the specific brand. So, to find specific instructions based on the brands you may have available, please check out the Princeton EC Website. You can search for EC under "United States" and see recommended pills and dosages on that site.

Important Note: If you have been raped and want emergency contraception, you can get it at an emergency room or hospital. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which is open 24 hours and will let you know where you can get EC. For more information, you can also visit the RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) website.

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

The United States has no travel restrictions related to HIV status. In 2013, there were 4004 people living with HIV in Nashville. For details on HIV rates and transmission in Nashville, click here.

We include information on PrEP and PEP availability in the "Medications & Vaccines" section.

Testing Facilities

• Planned Parenthood - Nashville Health Center: They provide low-cost STD tests, including: bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, genital warts, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV (free testing and diagnosis only), syphilis, trichomoniasis (trich). "Some STD testing and treatment services may be covered by your insurance. If you want to use your insurance, please be sure to bring in your insurance information at the time of your visit."
• Nashville Metro Public Health Department Lentz Public Health Center: Free HIV Testing, Conventional HIV Blood Testing, Conventional HIV Oral Testing, Rapid HIV Oral Testing, Chlamydia Testing, Syphilis Testing, Gonorrhea Testing, Herpes Testing. Address: 311 23rd Ave N,Nashville, TN 37203. Phone: 615-340-5647
• Nashville CARES: "Nashville CARES offers confidential, rapid, oral testing at our offices. Testing is with a certified HIV counselor, and takes about 20 minutes. Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m." Need Help? Call 1.800.845.4266. Address: 633 Thomson Lane, Nashville, TN 37207. Phone: 615-259-4866.
• Street Works: Free HIV Testing, Rapid HIV Blood Testing, Conventional HIV Oral Testing. Address: 520 Sylvan Street, Nashville, TN 37206. Phone: 615-259-7676.

You can find more HIV & STI testing sites in Nashville here.

Support

• Nashville Cares: "Our mission is to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Middle Tennessee. We work to achieve this through education, advocacy and support for those at risk for or living with HIV."
• Tennessee Center for AIDS Research: "The vision of the Tennessee CFAR is to have transformative impact locally, nationally and globally."

Medications & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

• If you think you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you'll need to visit a doctor, who will give you a check-up and test to see if you have a UTI. If you do have a UTI, you will be prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection. You cannot get UTI antibiotic medication without a prescription.
• If you have a yeast infection, you can get treatment over-the-counter (no prescription needed). The most common yeast infection treatment in the United States is called "Monistat." There are different treatment plans (for example, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days). It's recommended to do more than 1 day to completely clear the infection.
• At Metro Public Health or Planned Parenthood, you can get treatment for many STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.
• You should be able to access the HPV vaccine in Tennessee. Contact your doctor to ask about Gardasil or other HPV vaccines.
• You can get PrEP in Nashville from Planned Parenthood Nashville Health Center, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy (218 20th Ave N, Suite 4), Meharry Community Wellness Center, Vanderbilt Infectious Disease Clinic, or from doctors like Tracy Osbourne and Joseph H. Maness. You can check out this website to find PrEP providers in your area.
• You should be able PEP in Tennessee. Call your local hospital or emergency room for details.

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.

What to Get & Where to Get It

You can get pads, tampons, menstrual cups and menstrual underwear. You'll be able to find pads and tampons in most grocery stores and convenience stores. For menstrual cups, you can find them at Walgreens, CVS and Target Store (2050 Gallatin Rd N). For menstrual underwear, you can check out the Thinx website or search for "menstrual underwear" or "period panties."

Pregnancy

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the United States, the National Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave for women. But the FLMA has loopholes (for example, it doesn't apply to companies with less than 50 employees). So, for this reason, many women don't actually receive 12 weeks of maternity leave, and many women (even if their employers do qualify) can't take off 12 weeks of unpaid work. There is currently no comparable federal paternity leave policy in the United States.

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

In the United States, abortion has been fully legal since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision (1973). However, it is continually challenged. In Tennessee, there are restrictions placed on abortion access. For a woman to legally obtain an abortion, she must first seek state-directed counseling. During this time, the counselor usually reads from a script, which will aim to discourage the woman from obtaining an abortion. She will then have to wait 48 hours before receiving the abortion. This means that the pregnant woman must visit the clinic at least two times before obtaining the abortion.

If you're 18 years old and want an abortion in Tennessee, it's required that one of your parents gives consent (i.e. "parental consent"). If you cannot manage to get parental consent, you can potentially get a "judicial bypass." This is when you ask a judge for permission instead or, if it's an emergency (for medical reasons), you can get special permission. For more information on parental consent laws, click here.

What to Get & Where to Get It

• NOTICE: There are currently no abortion clinics or services in Nashville, as of December 2018. Planned Parenthood - Nashville Health Center has stopped offering abortion services, and they are now referring patients to clinics in Knoxville and Memphis. The Women's Center is also closed.
• Important Note: Be careful -- there are some places that advertise themselves as abortion clinics, but they're actually anti-abortion clinics, typically run by pro-life Christian conservatives. They're known as crisis pregnancy centers (PRC). The main issues with these centers are that 1) They often falsely advertise themselves as abortion clinics and 2) They don't allow people to make choices for themselves (they only accept one choice). For these reasons, if you're looking for an abortion provider, we urge you to carefully select a trusted service. For more information on PRC, click here.

Costs

Nationwide, the abortion pill can cost $800, but often less. For an in-clinic procedure, abortions can cost $1500, but often less. You can often find cheaper options at Planned Parenthood or some clinics. For low-income women (regardless of citizenship status), there are a variety of programs that may help pay for these costs.

If you need help paying for an abortion, call the National Abortion Federation Hotline at 1-800-772-9100, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). The hotline can tell you where and how to get financial help for an abortion in the U.S.

Advocacy & Counseling

What to Get & Where to Get It

• For emergencies, call 911 to get police and an ambulance.
• If you're dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline Number at 1-800-787-3224. "Our highly-trained advocates are available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship. "
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255. "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals."
• If you have been abused and are in need of support, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) may be able to provide help and counseling. Visit their website call their 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
• The Trevor Project (Lifeline): Call: 866-488-7386. This is a 24/7 hotline for LGBT youth. "Our trained counselors are here to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline now at 866-488-7386."
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender National Hotline: Toll-free: 1-888-843-4564. HOURS: Monday thru Friday from 1pm to 9pm, pacific time (Monday thru Friday from 4pm to midnight, eastern time). Saturday from 9am to 2pm, pacific time. (Saturday from noon to 5pm, eastern time). "All of our services are free and confidential.We speak with callers of all ages about coming-out issues, relationship concerns, bullying, workplace issues, HIV/AIDS anxiety and safer-sex information, and lots more!"

List of Additional Resources

• Nashville Chapter National Organization for Women - NOW: "Nashville NOW is the Nashville, Tennessee chapter of the National Organization for Women, a multi-issue progressive organization working for equality."
• Nashville Feminist Collective: "We aim to use our collective skills to foster a thriving feminist community in Nashville and to dismantle sexist oppressions intersectionally through advocacy, education, and action."
• OutCentral: "Our Mission OutCentral's mission is to connect, educate, empower, and build a positive, energy-filled space for greater Nashville's diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. "