Spain: New report on access to contraception

ByCristina Puig

June 2024. The Spanish Family Planning Federation (SEDRA) just published an assessment of contraception accessibility in the 17 regions (Comunidades Autónomas) that conform Spain. Access to emergency contraception (EC) is included, in particular, free-of-cost provision and quality of the information provided to EC users regarding mechanism of action and subsequent use of contraception after EC. 

According to the report, the regions that provide EC pills for free in public health units, and also provide quality information to users are: Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Valencia, Euskadi, Extremadura, Galicia, Balearic Islands, La Rioja, and Navarra.

On the other hand, in Murcia, the Canary Islands, and Castilla La Mancha, EC pills are not provided free of charge in any of the units of the national health system, except for hospital emergency rooms in case of sexual assault.

Finally, in the region of Madrid, EC pills are only provided free of cost in Community Health Centres that belong to and are located in the Municipality of Madrid (but not in the whole region of Madrid).

Overall, this assessment shows that access to contraception information and services varies extensively from one region to the next, painting, once again, a landscape of heterogeneity and inequalities within the Spanish territory.

The assessment report can be accessed here and this interactive map shows the results per community: https://mapaanticoncepcion.es/mapa

This report is a precious tool for countries like Spain, where healthcare is competency managed at the regional level. National statistics tend to overshadow gaps and variances within the territory. Detailed mappings and reports shed light and can be key to informing regional advocacy efforts. 

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