Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Bulgaria: LNG EC, UPA EC, and the use of IUD for EC are included in national policies for family planning. EC pills can be procured in local pharmacies, but are not reimbursed or covered by social security.
Accessibility & prescription status
In Bulgaria, LNG EC pills are available without prescription from pharmacies for those who are 16 and older. For those under 16, a prescription is required to buy LNG EC. Since 2015, UPA EC pills can be purchased without a prescription from pharmacies and no age restrictions apply.
Physicians are the sole health care professionals who are authorized to prescribe EC.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 15 | Escapelle |
| LNG | € 17,8 | Postinor-Uno |
| LNG | € 15 | Nebremel |
| UPA | € 25 | ellaOne |
The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Bulgaria. *Prices listed in July 2024.
Guidelines & common practices
Bulgaria has several references that are used to guide EC use. In 1999, Elian Rachev, MD, PhD wrote Modern hormonal contraception; in 2000, Insogen Evans, MD, PhD, FRCPC wrote Family planning handbook for health professionals; and in 2010, Blagovest Pehlivanov, MD, PhD wrote EllaOne® – new way for emergency contraception. Among these three references are recommendations on LNG and UPA EC pills as well as on the use of IUD for EC.
Health care providers sometimes offer general information about EC during regular consultations but rarely prescribe EC in advance of need.
EC use
| Ever use of EC | EC use in the last 3 years | % with no prescription | Repeated use of EC in last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 38%6 | 18%6 | n/a | 2%6 |
| Year | 2012 | 2012 | n/a | 2012 |
Sources
1 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. New York, 2011.
2 Durex Global Sex Survey Results 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2013, from http://www.durex.com/en-jp/sexualwellbeingsurvey/documents/gss2005result.pdf.
3 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Database. Mean Age of Women at Birth of First Child by Country and Year. Updated 23 November 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2013, from http://w3.unece.org/pxweb/dialog/varval.asp?ma=04_GEFHAge1stChild_r&path=../database/STAT/30-GE/02-Families_households/&lang=1&ti=Mean+age+of+women+at+birth+of+first+child.
4 European health for all database (HFA-DB), World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Total fertility rate. Retrieved 18 June 2013, from http://data.euro.who.int/hfadb/.
5 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Contraceptive Use 2012. New York, 2012.
6 Personal communication, Dimitar Cvetkov.
Last update: May 2025
Previous update: November 2015