The Contraceptive Pill in Chile

Birth control pills are tablets with a dose of hormones that prevent pregnancy. They are easy to swallow and 99-91% effective. Like any other contraceptive, pills have positive and negative side effects, so we advise careful consideration when deciding if birth control pills are right for you.

Are birth control pills widely available in Chile?

Yes, birth control pills are available at pharmacies, healthcare related NGOs and public hospitals and health centers in Chile.

Do I need a prescription to buy birth control pills in Chile?

Yes, you do need a prescription to buy birth control pills in Chile.*

Is there any age restriction for accessing birth control pills in Chile?

No, there’s no age restriction to get access to control pills in Chile.

How much do birth control pills cost in Chile?

In 2021, birth control pills could be purchased in pharmacies for between $840 and $34.890 Chilean pesos depending on the brand and the number of tablets. Some specific brands are available free of charge at public hospitals and health centers.

What are the different birth control pill brands available in Chile?

The most widely available brands in Chile are Acotol, Activa 28, Activa 21, Anuar, Anulette CD, Anulette 20 CD, Arlette 28 and Belara.

For more information, you can contact APROFA (aprofa.cl), an NGO with more than 50 years of experience in the defense of sexual and reproductive rights; the Central Supply Center of the National Health Services System – CENABAST (cenabast.cl), a decentralized public institution under the Ministry of Health; the Chilean Institute of Reproductive Medicine – ICMER (icmer.org) or the National Cancer Corporation – CONAC (conac.cl). And in case you want to purchase this contraceptive, you may check out pharmacies such as Cruz Verde (cruzverde.cl), Salcobrand (salcobrand.cl), Ahumada (farmaciasahumada.cl) and Dr. Simi (drsimi.cl).

Where can I read more about this method?

If you want to get further information about the birth control pill, click here.

What can I do in the case of an unplanned pregnancy?

Visit safe2choose.org to speak with an expert counselor about the abortion options available in Chile. Counselors can also be contacted via email (write to info@safe2choose.org) or via live chat at safe2choose.org/abortion-counseling

*Although the Chilean legal framework requires a prescription for birth control pills, the Institute of Public Health made the regulations more flexible to facilitate access during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the pharmaceutical chemist of each pharmacy has the power to waive the prescription in the case of contraceptives.