Hong Kong

China / Hong Kong

OVERVIEW

Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Hong Kong, you can easily purchase contraceptives with no prescription, including condoms, hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, implants, injections), diaphragms and intra-uterine devices (IUDs). Nuvaring is not currently available. Condoms can be purchased in most drugstores, pharmacies and supermarkets. In 2012, a study found that 40% of HK women had used contraceptives at one point in their lives.

What to Get & Where to Get It

While many generic oral contraceptives are available in Hong Kong, you may want to research some brands in advance. For example, the Yasmin/Yaz brand, which has been found to cause blood clots, is available with no pharmacist's/doctor's warnings in HK pharmacies, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Says the article, "When a female Post journalist tried to buy the pills at a popular Hong Kong pharmacy chain, no questions were asked; it was only when the journalist asked about their side effects, after purchase, that the pharmacist told her she should consult her doctor."

Some places to check out:

• Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, Birth Control Clinic - Serves women who are married or over 26. If you are under 26 and unmarried, visit the Youth Health Care Service. Website: http://www.famplan.org.hk/fpahk/en/template1.asp?style=template1.asp&content=services/clinic/services.asp&nscref=1.
• Watson's - A popular drug store/pharmacy with branches throughout Hong Kong
• Red Ribbon Center - Get free condoms here. "Although the sales network of condom in Hong Kong has extended to supermarkets and convenient stores, it is embarrassing to buy a condom in front of cashier in the society where sex is still a taboo for many. To make condom more accessible, the following venues provide free condoms to their clients." Website: http://www.rrc.gov.hk/safer_sex/english/l_network.htm

Costs

Birth control pills cost about HKD 90-110/month. The IUD is about HKD 1500. Condoms are about HKD 100 for a ten-pack. Most private health insurance policies do not cover contraception.

Emergency Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Hong Kong, you need a prescription to obtain emergency contraception at pharmacies. However, you can obtain EC from the Family Planning Association Hong Kong (FPAHK), family doctors and government clinics without a prescroption. FPAHK also allows people to purchase in EC in advance, which they can store at home in case of emergencies. There is no confirmed data on age restrictions for EC in Hong Kong. If you do have a prescription, you can find EC at pharmacies. Note that, while Hong Kong is technically a part of China, it has different policies than mainland China (where EC is widely accessible).

According to studies, Hong Kong residents seem rather uneducated regarding EC. Many women think that EC causes abortion. This lack of awareness is also found in the medical community. In a 2007 study, doctors scored 6.08 out of 12 in a simple test of EC knowledge.

The HK government has claimed that, if they make EC available at all pharmacies, they are promoting promiscuity. However, as written in Hong Kong Free Press, "It is debatable whether the fear of encouraging promiscuity, the lack of general knowledge among users, or concerns over misuse are legitimate reasons for the Hong Kong government to play the role of moral police and deny over-the-counter access to the pill."

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Fanda Pharmacy (near Pedder street in Central)
• Family Planning Association Hong Kong (FPAHK) - Place to get EC without a prescription

For dedicated EC products, you can find Escapelle and NorLevo 1.5mg (take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex). You can also take Duet, Estinor, Postinor-2 (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex). If you want to use oral contraceptives as EC, options include Duoluton, Eugynon, Neogynon, Nordiol and Ovral ( take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later). Other oral contraceptive options include Microgynon, Microgynon 30 ED, Microgynon-30, Nordette and Rigevidon (take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later). Finally, there's Loette (take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later).

Costs

At FPAHK, you'll pay up to HK$360 for a consultation and a single dose of the morning-after pill.

Medication & Vaccines

What to Get & Where to Get It

For yeast infections, you can get Canesten cream with no prescription at pharmacies like Watson's. Diflucan if also available for yeast infections, but you may need to visit a doctor to get a prescription (can someone confirm this?). Regarding HPV, vaccines like Gardasil are available, and the registered age for the vaccine is 9 years and up. For HIV prevention, there is no PrEP access. However, for people traveling to HK with HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral medication can be carried for personal use.

• Kinetics - for HPV or Hepatitis vaccination (http://www.kinetics.hk/english/vaccine/hpv/vaccine.html)

Menstruation

Laws & Social Stigmas

While tampons are available, they are much less popular than pads/panty-liners.

What to Get & Where to Get It

If you want to buy pads/panty-liners, they are readily available. You can also find tampons but they're less common/popular. You'll usually see OB (without applicators), Playtex (Gentle Glide) and Tampax (cardboard) tampons. You may be able to find organic tampons in some supermarkets.

There are no menstrual cup sellers (e.g. DivaCup, Mooncup, LadyCup) in Hong Kong or mainland China, so you'll need to buy them online.

Gynecological Exams

Laws & Social Stigmas

From InterNations Hong Kong: "In 2004, the Hong Kong Department of Health established the Cervical Screening Program. It aims to increase the overall coverage of testing among women living in Hong Kong. Part of the program is an information system. If you register, you will receive automatic reminders from your gynecologist in Hong Kong when your next pap smear is due. A cervical screening costs an extra HKD 100."

What to Get & Where to Get It

For gynecological exams, you can choose to go to a public healthcare center or a private specialist. If you're interested in a public healthcare center, it's recommended to visit one of the Maternal and Child Health Care Centers for a check-up. For anyone under 64 years old, they offer check-ups for early signs of cervical, breast and ovarian cancer. They also offer HPV vaccines.

Costs

At Maternal and Child Health Care Centers, you can get a gynecological check-up for around HKD 300 (if you're an HK resident). For a mammography, you pay an additional 225 dollars.

Abortion

What to Get & Where to Get It

• Family Planning Association of Hong Kong - Provides medical or surgical abortion for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Website: http://www.famplan.org.hk/fpahk/en/template1.asp?style=template1.asp&content=services/clinic/services.asp&nscref=18

Private Hospitals

• Hong Kong Sanatorium 2835-8607
• Matilda International Hospital 2849-0111
• Union Hospital 2608-3222

Hospitals of the Hospital Authority Telephone

• Princess Margaret Hospital - 2990-1111
• Prince of Wales Hospital - 2632-2211
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital - 3506-8888
• Queen Mary Hospital - 2255-3838

Costs

At the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, you can expect to pay 3,300 HK dollar (Entitled persons) / 4,400 HK dollar (Non-entitled persons) for medical/surgical termination of early pregnancy. For monitored anaesthetic care, you can expect to pay 1,00 HK dollar at FPAHK.

List of Additional Resources

• Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (http://www.famplan.org.hk/)