Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Serbia: LNG EC and UPA EC are included in national policies for family planning, and local pharmacies distribute EC pills, but 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 | Median age at first sexual intercourse for females between ages 15 and 24 | Mean age at birth of first child | Total fertility rate | % use of modern contraceptive methods | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 1,615,2891 | 182 | 27.73 | 1.44 | 18.45 |
| Year | 2011 | 2013 | 2013 | 2011 | 2014 |
Accessibility & prescription status
In Serbia, 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. According to regulations, a prescription is required to purchase UPA EC from pharmacies. However, anecdotal data suggests that UPA EC can be bought without a prescription in some pharmacies.
Physicians are the sole health care professionals who are authorized to prescribe UPA EC and to provide or prescribe LNG EC.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 8,80 | Escapelle, Postinor-2 |
| UPA | € 24 | ellaOne |
| UPA | n/a | Alvobella |
The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Serbia.
Guidelines & common practices
Serbia has two guidelines that cover EC: Kontracepcija, by G. Radonjic, B. Nikolic et al. (2011), which is the official book for students of the Medical Faculty; and a publication by the Center for Family Planning of the Dr. Vukan Čupić Institute for Health Protection of Mother and Child of Serbia, authored by Dr. Katarina Sedlecky. These guides provide recommendations on LNG and UPA EC pills.
Health care providers rarely provide general information about EC during regular consultations or prescribe EC in advance of need.
EC use
| Ever use of EC | % of all women aged 15–49 years who have heard of EC (Serbia) | % of all women age 15-49 who have heard of EC (Serbia Roma Settlements) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | n/a | 91,46 | 30,16 |
| Year | n/a | 2019 | 2019 |
Sources
1 Population Census of the Republic of Serbia, 2011.
2 Ministry of Health, National Institute of Public Health of Serbia. Istraživanje zdravstvenog stanja stanovnistva Srbije 2013). Belgrade, NIPH. 2014.
3 Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. 2013.
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 Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia and UNICEF. Serbia Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey and Serbia Roma Settlements Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014. Final Reports. Belgrade, Serbia: 2014.
6 Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia and UNICEF. 2020. Serbia Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey and Serbia Roma Settlements Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2019, Survey Findings Report. Belgrade, Serbia: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia and UNICEF. Retrieved 10 December 2021, from https://mics.unicef.org/surveys.
Last update: December 2021
Previous update: November 2021, June 2015
