Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Slovakia: LNG EC, UPA EC, and the use of IUD for EC are included in national policies for family planning. Local pharmacies distribute EC pills but these are not reimbursed or covered by social security.

Sexual & reproductive health background information

Female population aged 15-49Mean age at first sexual intercourseMean age at birth of first childTotal fertility rate% use of modern contraceptive methods
Estimate1,360,078117.8227.331.46424.8%1
Year20122005201020112012

Accessibility & prescription status

In Slovakia, LNG EC is available over the counter from pharmacies, which means that EC can be purchased without a prescription. UPA EC is available without prescription directly from pharmacies since 2015.

Physicians are the sole health care professionals who are authorized to prescribe EC.

Cost

Type of ECApproximate CostBrand(s) Available
LNG€ 24,19Escapelle
LNG€ 14,8Navela
UPA€ 29ellaOne

The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security.

Guidelines & common practices

Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, created by the Slovak OB/GYN Society in 2009, includes recommendations on LNG and UPA EC pills as well as on the use of IUD for EC, among other contraceptive methods.

Health care providers never provide general information about EC during regular consultations or prescribe EC in advance of need.

EC use

Ever use of ECEC use in the last 12 months% with no prescriptionRepeated use of EC in last 12 months
Estimaten/an/a96.88%50.1% – 1%6
Yearn/an/a20112011

 

Sources

1 National Centre of Health Information (NCHI) of the Slovak Republic, 2013.

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 Estimated from OTC use in Slovakia among those aged 18-45, 2006.

6 Estimated from counseling data provided on the “EC web page” among those aged 18-45, 2011.

Last update: May 2025

Previous update:  September 2016