Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Lithuania: LNG EC, UPA EC, and the use of IUD for EC are included in national policies for family planning, and local pharmacies distribute EC, 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 | Mean age at first sexual intercourse | Mean age at birth of first child | Total fertility rate | % use of modern contraceptive methods | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 798,0001 | n/a | 26.62 | 1.553 | 33.2%4 |
| Year | 2010 | n/a | 2010 | 2011 | 1994-95 |
Accessibility & prescription status
In Lithuania, LNG and UPA EC are 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.
Cost
| Type of EC | Approximate Cost | Brand(s) Available |
|---|---|---|
| LNG | € 15 | Escapelle, Postinor-2 |
| UPA | € 21,96 | ellaOne |
The cost of EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security in Lithuania.
Guidelines & common practices
The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences issued recommendations in 2008 on EC pills as well as on the use of the Cu-IUD for EC, among other contraceptive methods. Since these recommendations are only available to employees of the University, Lithuania also uses the 2008 World Health Organization’s Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use as guidelines for EC.
Health care providers often provide general information about EC during regular consultations but rarely prescribe EC in advance of need.
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 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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.
Last update: November 2021
Previous updates: November 2013
