How to deal with preggers panic on hols
WHETHER it’s the hot weather, free-flowing cocktails or the fact everyone seems to look better with a tan, summer holidays are a catalyst for spontaneous romances.
According to a YouGov survey, 16 per cent of Brits are more likely to have a one night stand on holiday than at home.
Even the most organised packer can overlook the essentials in the heat of the moment.
So if you happen to need emergency contraception on holiday, it’s good to know the facts. Each country has its own rules on morning after pill accessibility. You can grab EC over the counter in France, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, America, Sweden and India.
In Australia, Italy, Thailand, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain or Croatia, a pharmacist will ask you a series of questions first.
Colombia, Cambodia, Poland, Japan and Russia are more strict and you’ll need a prescription from a doctor. Your first stop should be the ICEC (cecinfo.org). Its website has country-bycountry information. Just Landed (justlanded.com) also provides information. Does my health insurance cover me? Your European Health Insurance card (visit gov. BY LIZ O’CONNOR uk to apply) lets you access state healthcare in other EEA countries and Switzerland at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free. Asking for the morning after pill can feel pretty awkward as it is, but when you factor in a foreign language, it’s a whole different story. Your best bet is to get emergency contraception before your trip and pack it in your carry-on.
And think about other, more regular forms of contraception, such as taking the pill, having an implant, using the patch or having a coil fitted. Pharmacist Deborah Evans said: “It’s called the morning after pill as it most effective when taken as soon after unprotected sex as possible – although you don’t have to wait until the morning to take it.
“Take it as soon as you can after having unprotected sex or your normal method of contraception has failed.”
There are two types of emergency contraceptive pill – EllaOne, which contains ulipristal, and Levonelle, which contains levonorgestrel (levonorgestrel may come under different brand names in other countries).