Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Austria but is not widely recommended by health professionals or supported by governmental policies. EC is not included in national policies for family planning, is not reimbursed or covered by social security, and is only available for purchase from pharmacies.
- 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 | 1,963,0001 | 16.52 | 28.53 | 1.434 | 67%5 |
| Year | 2015 | 2005 | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Accessibility & prescription status
In Austria, LNG EC and UPA EC are available behind the counter from pharmacies, which means that EC is available from pharmacies without a prescription but is not on the pharmacy shelves and needs to be requested from the pharmacist in order to purchase.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 12,90 – € 13,50 | Vikela, Postinor 1500, Levodonna |
| UPA | € 31,90 | ellaOne |
| UPA | € n/a | Lencya 30 mg – Filmtabletten |
| UPA | € n/a | Ullionce 30 mg Filmtablette |
The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Austria.
Guidelines & common practices
Medical guidelines in Austria do not include EC at all, and health care providers rarely provide general information about EC during regular consultations or prescribe EC in advance of need.
Health care providers do not require a pregnancy test or 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 | 18%6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Year | 2012 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Sources
1 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision. New York, 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 Österr. Frauengesundheitsbericht 2011.
6 Österr. Verhütungsreport 2012, from www.gynmed.at.
Last update: January 2021
Previous update: June 2015
