Reproductive and sexual health

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. After reading, you will know where to go for contraception, abortion, testing, gynecology and fertility care, and what is funded.

Start with "Getting contraception in Spain: methods, access and cost". It shows how the system works in practice, and the other pages build on it.

If you need something urgently, go straight to "Emergency contraception (píldora del día después) in Spain". For the rest, pick the page that matches your question.

Pregnancy care, support after violence and prescription copay rules are covered elsewhere in the guide.

Key rules

• Abortion limit: Abortion is allowed on your request up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, and up to 22 weeks where there is a serious risk to your life or health or a serious risk of foetal anomaly.
• Emergency contraception window: Levonorgestrel works up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, ulipristal up to 120 hours, and a copper IUD can be inserted up to 5 days after.
• Cervical screening: Women aged 25 to 34 get cervical cytology every 3 years, and women aged 35 to 65 get HPV testing every 5 years.
• Emergency pill access: Emergency contraception is sold in pharmacies without prescription, with no age limit and no parental consent needed.
• Teens aged 16 and 17: At 16 and 17 you can consent to abortion and contraception on your own, without parental consent or notification.
• Sterilisation conditions: Sterilisation is legal for adults aged 18 or over with full capacity after written informed consent, with no spousal consent, waiting period or minimum number of children required.

Reproductive and sexual health: the whole process, step by step

• Get your health card if you are non-EU and have no other coverage (see Getting contraception in Spain: methods, access and cost): before you need public services; registered residents usually qualify after at least 90 days

• Take emergency contraception (see Emergency contraception (píldora del día después) in Spain): levonorgestrel up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, ulipristal up to 120 hours, and a copper IUD up to 5 days

• Decide on and request an abortion (see Abortion (interrupción voluntaria del embarazo) in Spain: access and rules): on your request up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, and up to 22 weeks where there is a serious risk to your life or health or a serious risk of foetal anomaly; there is no mandatory waiting period, and consent can be given immediately

• Get a first specialist visit for fertility treatment (see Fertility treatment and IVF in Spain, public and private): weeks to a few months in the public system

• Start IVF or ICSI in the public system: often 6 to 18 months of waiting; donor egg treatment can take longer, and long waits can push you past the age limit

Documents you may need

• Marriage certificate — Starting a family as a single person or same-sex couple
• Signed declaration of consent from the non-birth mother — Starting a family as a single person or same-sex couple
• Clinic consent form for the assisted reproduction — Starting a family as a single person or same-sex couple

Reproductive and sexual health: questions that cross several articles

Can I use public family planning services if I am non-EU and have no Spanish health coverage?

Yes, if you are a registered resident with no other coverage, you can usually get a health card and use public family planning services, often after at least 90 days. If you do not qualify, a special agreement (convenio especial) with a monthly payment is an option.

Which contraception can I buy at a pharmacy without a prescription?

You can buy condoms, spermicides and emergency contraception without a prescription. Pills, the ring, the patch, the implant, injections and IUDs need a prescription or a doctor's procedure. Read Getting contraception in Spain: methods, access and cost and Emergency contraception (píldora del día después) in Spain.

Who prescribes contraception in the public system, and what does it cover?

Your family doctor or midwife at the centro de salud, or a family planning centre, can prescribe hormonal contraception, and you need a health card. Public funding covers some pills, IUDs and the implant, but not condoms, the ring or the patch. Read Getting contraception in Spain: methods, access and cost, and Seeing a gynecologist in Spain: referral, private access and smear tests.

Who can get public IVF, and how long is the wait?

Public IVF rules differ by region, but they typically include an age limit under 40 and a limited number of cycles. Single women and lesbian couples can also be covered, though access varies, and waits are often 6 to 18 months. Read Fertility treatment and IVF in Spain, public and private, and Starting a family as a single person or same-sex couple.