Romania’s overall score in the 2020 contraception atlas is 54.4%, falling in the orange spectrum of the Europe-wide ranking. Romania has a population of 19.2 million and a universal healthcare system. Despite its good access to online information and counselling, contraceptives are not reimbursed in Romania. For several years contraceptives were accessible for free in the wide network of public family planning clinics across the country. This ended unexpectedly in 2013 when the last public procurement of supplies took place. The country has an estimated contraceptive prevalence rate of 55% and there are 38 adolescent (15-19 year-olds) births per 1000 adolescents.
Recommendations:
- Reimbursement schemes need to be integrated within health care policy and should include adolescents and vulnerable groups. Such schemes need to be evidence and research-based, taking into account cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and success rates in the long term.
- Counselling services and online information should serve to destigmatise the topic of contraception among the general public
- Efforts should be made in online information on modern contraceptives. Ideally, a Rumanian government-supported website should provide unbiased coherent, and detailed information on the costs and availability of modern contraceptives.
Breakdown by Criteria
Policies related to supplies and counselling
- Reimbursement
❌Reimbursement within the national health system
❌Special reimbursement for adolescents (until 19)
❌Special Reimbursement for vulnerable groups (unemployed/low income)
- Counselling
✔️Available, accessible, and affordable consultation
✔️No need for third-party consent
✔️Legal status (marital, citizenship) is not a barrier
- Prescription requirements
✔️Availability of emergency contraception without prescription
❌Availability of self-administered hormonal contraception without prescription
Availability of online information
- Type of online information
Website provided by non-government supported website
✔️Number of contraceptives - excellent
❌Info on costs of contraceptives
✔️Info on where to get contraceptives
- User friendliness
❌Regional or minority language included
✔️Web design
✔️Discoverability of the website
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