Urgent contraception costs vary across Europe; some nations offer it free, while others require payment.
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Emergency contraception remains fully paid for in the Czech Republic, with one pill costing around 460 koruna. Proponents argue that increasing access to “morning-after pills” is a step towards addressing inequalities and preventing unwanted pregnancies or abortions, noting that this form of emergency contraception is more readily available in most European countries. Postcoital pills can be used after unprotected sex or if other forms of contraception fail. France and Luxembourg offer them for free, while the UK plans to make them free through its NHS network. The official goal of the new UK measure is to improve overall access and end what Minister Stephen Kinnock called a “zip code lottery.” Spain also addresses this issue, where nearly forty percent of women have used emergency contraception at least once; it is freely available in national health system centers there, though some autonomous communities do not comply. Across Europe, access to emergency contraception without prescription has been easing since 2015 due to EU classification changes, and most countries allow over-the-counter purchase, with Hungary being an exception requiring a prescription. The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights assesses that only eight out of forty-seven European countries currently provide free emergency contraception in pharmacies or public health facilities, with France and Luxembourg leading. Conversely, Poland ranks last due to its reproductive policies, although the government recently allowed purchase without a doctor’s note after stricter rules in 2017, requiring consultation at the pharmacy. The Czech Republic is ranked thirty-first, with the main issue being financial barriers rather than lack of information, as public health insurance does not cover it; gynecologist Jan GreguÅ¡ states that political will is lacking to address this issue.
