Vietnam: Difference between revisions

[[ File:Flag of Vietnam.svg.png|400px | thumb|right|]]

Vietnam has many women's health resources. Contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives, are legal and do not require a prescription. There are a plethora of pharmacies throughout the city though you may struggle to find certain international brands. Since the 1960s, the North Vietnamese government has advocated family planning -- and, after reunification in 1975, family planning policies extended throughout the country. There is a 2-child policy that has remained in place for decades, although this policy seems to be on its way out (Note: It may have been removed in 2015... waiting for confirmation). Nowadays in Vietnam, you can get STI tests at many hospitals and clinics. However, if you're a foreigner or don't speak Vietnamese, it's recommended that you visit an international facility (list of such facilities below). You can find both pads and tampons, typically without applicators (like OB), at many markets and stores. Furthermore, abortion is fully legal for up to 22 weeks of pregnancy, and there are no known restrictions related to age or reasons. Due to its high prevalence, Vietnam has been called the "abortion capital" of Asia, a title that has also been given to [[China]]. You will find that both surgical and medical abortion options are available, and there are many resources, including international organizations like Marie Stopes, that can help you identify the appropriate services.

*[http://www.vietnammedicalpractice.com/ Family Medical Practice]: Normal IUD insertion is $142 USD, IUD insertion with Mirena is $351 USD. If you want a non-hormonal IUD, that is also available (but it's not Paragard) for an addition $20. Note that the consultation fee ($95) is not included in the general fee. There may be additional costs for tests or medications. For the procedure, they don't have equipment for local anesthesia on the cervix, but they can give painkillers 30-60 minutes before insertion of IUDs. They may also be able to prescribe Misopostrol on the evening before insertion to facilitate the procedure.

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For Depo, it's reported that the Hanoi Family Program does it for 300,000 dong. Supposedly, the French Vietnamese hospital does it for 7 million dong. For IUD, you can expect to pay between $100-$400.

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You can buy emergency contraception for 45,000 dong (less than $2 as of 2016) in any pharmacy. One popular brand is Victoria. Below, we have listed the main brands and types of EC available in Vietnam:<ref>[http://ec.princeton.edu/worldwide/ Princeton EC Website]</ref>

''Dedicated Products / Anti-Progestin

Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:''

* Ciel EC (this is only available in Vietnam, so it seems to be a Vietnamese brand)

* Mifestad 10 (this appears to be a Vietnamese brand)

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''Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:''

* Postinor-2 (global brand, but here's the [http://postinor.com.vn/vi Vietnamese website for Postinor])

 

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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:''

* FMP

 

Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

* Anna

* Microgynon-30

* Nordette

* Rigevidon

'''Important Note:''' Avoid self-diagnosing or seeking treatment (before diagnosis) at a pharmacy. According to one study: "Even though 74% (51 of 69) of pharmacists and drug sellers know that they should not treat STD patients, in fact 84% (250 of 297) did treat. When they did treat, no one gave the correct combination of drugs for treatment by the syndromic approach, as only 12% (36 of 297) gave tetracycline or doxycycline, and of those who sold them no one gave them for a sufficient number of days. Quinolones were by far the most common drug given but are not recommended by the Vietnam Institute of Venereology..."<ref>[http://sti.bmj.com/content/76/4/299.full STD management by private pharmacies in Hanoi: practice and knowledge of drug sellers]</ref>

For a long time, Vietnam (along with many other Southeast Asian countries) was known as place where you could buy virtually any medication or antibiotic over the counter. In Vietnam, this is no longer the case. Antibiotics and stronger medications are more strictly regulated at pharmacies. However, you will still find some pharmacies that are more lenient in their sales. Remember that some pharmacies focus on "herbal" or traditional medicine, meaning that they do not carry modern pharmaceutical products. Other pharmacies do carry modern products, but they may sell medications that are inauthentic (i.e. incorrect or sugar-pill like medicine) or expired. Try to visit pharmacies that you know or trust, or that someone who has experience in a Vietnamese city recommends. Overall, Vietnamese pharmacists speak very little English. So it is recommended to know that name of the medication you need in advance or to bring a translation device.

Note: While this is an unverified, a Hanoi pharmacist has told us that yeast infections in Vietnam are fairly common due to the low-quality tap water. When women wash or douche themselves with the water, they may develop yeast infections. While this cannot be entirely avoided, it's something to remember.

** [http://www.ovacup.com Ovacup] sells US-made FDA-approved menstrual cups (otherwise known as [http://www.ovacup.com cốc nguyệt san]).

** [http://www.lintimate.com Lintimate] is a social enterprise that officially distributes US-made FDA-approved menstrual cups (otherwise known as [http://www.lintimate.com cốc nguyệt san] in Vietnamese) under their flagship brand - Lincup. This is the only menstrual cup distributor that qualifies to enter pharmacies in Vietnam. They have a 24/7 hotline with english speaking operator: 091 151 2091 and can also be contacted via Lintimate's official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/lintimate. Email: info@lintimate.net

* [http://theintimateinitiative.com/ The Intimate Initiative]: "A new and exciting social enterprise that promotes sexual health education and gender equality in Vietnam."  

* [http://www.popcouncil.org/ Population Council]: The Population Council's mission is to conduct research on reproductive health and contraceptive choice. Has presence in Vietnam.