Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Bosnia and Herzegovina: local pharmacies distribute LNG EC and UPA EC, but only in the autonomous entity of Republika Srpska is EC subsidized and included in the Essential Medicines List.
- Sexual & reproductive health background information
- Accessibility & prescription status
- Cost
- Guidelines & common practices
- EC knowledge
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 | 927,0001 | n/a | 26.32 | 1.33 | 11.2%4 |
| Year | 2015 | n/a | 2011 | 2012 | 2006 |
Accessibility & prescription status
The country is divided into two entities: Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout the entire country, LNG EC and UPA EC are available from pharmacies: a prescription is not required to buy UPA EC since 20167, but it still necessary to buy LNG EC. Despite these regulations, anecdotal data suggests that LNG EC pills can often be bought without a prescription too.
Gynecologists are currently the sole health care professionals who are authorized to prescribe LNG EC and UPA EC, but a family planning curriculum for family physicians is being developed.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 14,5 – 22,5 | Vikela |
| UPA | € 25,3 – 30,0 (a price of € 23.35 has been approved by health policy5) | ellaOne |
The cost of LNG and UPA EC is fully subsidized when procured with a prescription in the Republika Srpska. In the rest of the country, though, the cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security.
Guidelines & common practices
There are no national clinical guidelines on EC in the country. As of March 2015, EC is part of the Essential Medicines List of the Republika Srpska.
EC knowledge
| All women aged 15-49 years who have knowledge of EC | Women aged 15-49 years currently married or in union who have knowledge of EC | Women aged 15-49 years not married or in union who have knowledge of EC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 61.8%6 | 58.9%6 | 86.1%6 |
| Year | 2011-2012 | 2011-2012 | 2011-2012 |
Sources
1 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. New York, 2011.
2 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.
3 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/.
4 United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Contraceptive Use 2012. New York, 2012.
5 Register of Medicinal Products of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices, Banja Luka, 2015.
6 UNICEF. Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey, 2011-2012.
7 L. Bosak, personal communication, September 30, 2020
Last update: September 2020
