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===Laws & Social Stigmas===
===Laws & Social Stigmas===


In Italy, you can purchase two emergency contraceptives (morning after pills) without a prescription. LNG EC (Escapelle) and UPA EC (like ellaOne) are available behind the counter from pharmacies for women who are 18 years of age or older. If you want LNG EC, you must get it from a physician (not a pharmacist). If you want UPA EC, you must go to a pharmacy and specifically ask the pharmacy clerk for it, since it's not on the shelves. Also, if you're under 18 years old, you'll still need a prescription to purchase them. However, for all other EC brands, you do need a prescription.<ref>[http://www.ec-ec.org/emergency-contraception-in-europe/country-by-country-information-2/italy/#pub1 European Consortium for Emergency Contraception - Italy]</ref>  
In Italy, you can purchase two emergency contraceptive types (morning after pills) without a prescription. LNG EC (like Escapelle and NorLevo 1.5mg) and UPA EC (like ellaOne) are now available over-the-counter from pharmacies for women who are 18 years of age or older. If you want LNG EC, you must get it from a physician (not a pharmacist). If you want UPA EC, you must go to a pharmacy and specifically ask the pharmacy clerk for it, since it's not on the shelves. Also, if you're under 18 years old, you'll still need a prescription to purchase them. However, for all other EC brands, you do need a prescription.<ref>[http://www.ec-ec.org/emergency-contraception-in-europe/country-by-country-information-2/italy/#pub1 European Consortium for Emergency Contraception - Italy]</ref>  


This is a major improvement over past Italian laws, when all EC required a prescription. This caused much distress for women in the past, and you can read a personal account a foreign student's difficulties trying to access EC in the past [http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/i-was-refused-emergency-contraception-in-italy here]. Fortunately, since April 2015, UPA EC has been available over-the-counter, and since October 2015, LNG EC has been available over-the-counter.
This is a major improvement over past Italian laws, when all EC required a prescription. This caused much distress for women in the past, and you can read a personal account a foreign student's difficulties trying to access EC in the past [http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/i-was-refused-emergency-contraception-in-italy here]. Fortunately, since April 2015, UPA EC has been available over-the-counter, and since October 2015, LNG EC has been available over-the-counter.
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===What to Get & Where to Get It===
===What to Get & Where to Get It===


'''Note:''' The longest-lasting EC is currently [http://www.ellaone.com/ 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.
* In Italy, you can purchase emergency (morning after pill) at pharmacies and through physicians. For many brands, you no longer need a prescription. Some brands you can expect to see are ellaOne (this is an anti-progestin pill, and it's considered the most effective but it's a bit more expensive). There's also some progestin-only brands (which are cheap,er but usually not effective after 3 days), such as Lonel, NorLevo 1.5mg, Unlevo 1500 and Levonelle. For all of these brands, you should take the pill as soon as possible after unprotected sex in order to prevent pregnancy. For more details about accessing these pills with or without prescriptions, see the section above ("Laws & Social Stigmas").
* If you can't access dedicated emergency contraception, you can use birth control pills as replacement EC. Remember that, in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used. You can take Novogyn 21 (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later). You can also take Microgynon or Ovranet (for both of these brands, take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later). There's also Loette and Miranova (for both of these brands, take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later).


===Costs===
===Costs===
If you want an LNG type of birth control (like Escapalle or Norlevo), you can get it for around € 13,10. If you want UPA EC (like ellaOne0, you can get it for around € 26,90.


==Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)==
==Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)==

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