Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Georgia: LNG EC is included in national policies for family planning and sexual violence guidelines, and local pharmacies distribute LNG EC, but LNG EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security.
- Sexual & reproductive health background information
- Accessibility & prescription status
- Cost
- Guidelines & common practices
- EC use
Sexual & reproductive health background information
| Female population aged 15-49 | Mean age at first sexual intercourse | Mean age at birth of first child | Total fertility rate | % use of modern contraceptive methods | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 1,149,0001 | 21.82 | 23.62 | 2.02 | 21%2 |
| Year | 2010 | 2010 | 2010 | 2010 | 2010 |
Accessibility & prescription status
In Georgia, LNG EC is available behind the counter from pharmacies, which means that EC is available without a prescription but is not on the shelves and needs to be requested in order to purchase. UPA EC is not available in Georgia.
According to the 2010 Georgia Reproductive Health Survey, lack of knowledge of and awareness about this contraceptive method, especially among adolescents, those with less education, and those living in rural areas are significant barriers to use.2 Only 5% of Georgian women aged 15-44 have an awareness of EC, and only 4% know how EC should be used.2
Physicians are the sole health care professionals who are authorized to provide or prescribe LNG EC.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 5,4 | Postinor, Escapelle |
The cost of LNG EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Georgia.
Guidelines & common practices
Georgia published guidelines in 2010 that provide recommendations on LNG EC in the context of rape and sexual violence. Georgia also published a family planning module in 2000 that includes recommendations on LNG EC among other contraceptive methods.
Health care providers sometimes provide general information about EC during regular consultations and sometimes prescribe EC in advance of need. Health care providers do ask for a pregnancy test and a pelvic exam before prescribing EC.
EC use
| Ever use of EC | EC use in the last 12 months | % with no prescription | Repeated use of EC in last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 0.3%2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Year | 2010 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Only 4.1% of women aged 15-44 years have knowledge about where to obtain EC.2 The most important source of information about EC among women aged 15-44 is friends and boyfriends, followed by doctors.2
Sources
1 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. New York, 2011.
2 National Center for Disease Control and Public Health. Reproductive Health Survey Georgia 2010: Final Report. Tbilisi, Georgia: 2012.
Last update: February 2014
