Jordan: Difference between revisions

In Jordan, sexual and reproductive health care is a rather complex topic. On the one hand, frank discussions of sexuality (particularly the sexuality of unmarried women) is still a taboo topic for many people, and health care providers typically assume that sexually-active women are married. As a result, Jordanian women may feel uncomfortable accessing certain services, especially if they're single. On the other hand, there's a wide range of options and experiences in Jordan overall, and particularly in cities like Amman. You can purchase contraceptive pills (birth control pills) without a prescription at pharmacies. While you may find other contraceptive methods, such as IUDs, available, you may be asked about your marriage status at certain hospitals or clinics before receiving treatment. We recommend you refer to the "Contraception" section for more details on this practice, as well as how some single women have chosen to handle it. While dedicated emergency contraception is not legally registered in Jordan, you can use regular birth control as replacement ECPs. We explain how this can be done in the "Emergency Contraception" section. While you can receive STI tests in Jordan, it's important to remember that, if you're a foreigner and test positive for HIV, you may be deported from Jordan. Regarding menstrual product, you can primarily find pads and some tampon brands in cities like Amman. It's very difficult to find menstrual cups within Jordanian markets, but you can order them online and have them shipped to Jordan. Furthermore, we have compiled a list of recommended gynecologists in the "Gynecological Exams" section. Regarding pregnancy, the Labour Law allows for 10 weeks of maternity leave, and we recommend you check out the "Gynecological Exams" section for recommended ob/gyns. Finally, abortion is only permitted in Jordan for very specific cases. If you or someone you know wants to obtain an abortion, it's recommended to seek out abortion services outside of Jordan rather than in the country. You can refer to the "Abortion" section for more details.

In Jordan, you can purchase birth control pills without a prescription.<ref>[Conversation with Jordanian local women]</ref> By law, you may technically need a prescription to purchase birth control pills,<ref>[http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html Global Oral Contraception Availability]</ref> <ref>[http://freethepill.org/where-on-earth/ Free the Pill: Where on Earth]</ref> however it appears that this isn't commonly requested by many pharmacists.  

However, there are certainly social stigmas in Jordan surrounding contraception, especially for women who seek out medications at clinics or hospitals. Certainly, some women in Jordan (particularly expatriates) have reported that they have purchased contraception with minimal or absolutely zero issues, especially when they have purchased the contraception at pharmacies. However, it's important to understand that there's a noticeable bias against single women accessing contraception at certain hospitals and clinics. Doctors and hospitals in Jordan often act under the assumption that women who seek out contraception (or any sexual or reproductive health services) are married. So, if you choose to seek out contraception at a hospital (rather than a pharmacy), you may be asked questions like, "For how many years have you been married?" This can be interpreted as a form of social pressure that is meant to discourage single women from seeking out birth control. Some single women choose to say that they're divorced (even if they've never been married) to avoid the social pressure, stigmatization and shaming. If you want to avoid these types of questions, you can choose to seek out contraception at pharmacies, where you'll be less likely to encounter such questions. However, there is no guarantee that you can entirely avoid these questions, so one should be prepared to handle them in advance.

* In Jordan, you can find '''birth control pills''' in pharmacies. While you may technically need a prescription, this isn't always enforced, so you can often walk into a pharmacy and directly buy birth control pills from the pharmacist. Some of the brands you may find in pharmacies are Angeliq, Belara, Cerazette, Climen, Diane, Gracial, Kliogest, Femoston, Microgynon, Microgynon-30, Neogynon, Nordiol, Ologyn, Ovral, Lo-Femenal, Nordette, Norethindrone, Norethisterone, Trisequens, Rigevidon and Yasmin. For more information on birth control brands available in Jordan, click [http://www.just.edu.jo/DIC/Manuals/Oral%20Contraceptives.pdf here].

* If you need to get the check-up that's (technically) legally required for a birth control prescription, you can get it at [http://jafpp.org/en/node/235 The Jordanian Association for Family Planning and Protection] for 3 dinar.

* You can order many forms of contraceptives at [http://www.farah-hospital.org/ Farah Maternity Hospital]. However, you should be aware that the doctors may ask for your marriage status (i.e. "For how many years have you been married?") before giving you medications or a prescription. If you are single but want to keep this information private, you may choose to say that you're divorced. Mailing Address: PO Box: 5323, Amman 11183, Jordan. Phone: +962 6 460 3777. Click [http://www.farah-hospital.org/contact.php here] to access their online contact form.

** For these pills, take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later (only the first 21 pills can be used in pack): Neogynon, Nordiol, Ologyn, Ovral<ref>[http://ec.princeton.edu/ Princeton EC Website]</ref>RU

For local recommendations on gynecologists, please visit our city pages, such as [[Amman]] page.

* UNIFEM Western Asia Regional Office: Umbrella Organisation: PO Box 830 896, 11183, Amman, Jordan. Tel: 962 6 619727/8. Fax: 962 6 610944. Email: unifem@nets.com.jo