Sex and international travel: What you need to know

When travelling overseas, it is useful to research your destination to take care of your health and potential needs. 

Some things to consider include:

• Research the laws at the destination you are travelling to:
  • Is premarital sex legal? Can you access contraception services if you aren’t married?
  • Are same-sex relationships and sexual acts legal?
  • Are abortion services legal?
• Where and how to access contraception, including emergency contraception
  • Can you access emergency contraception at pharmacies without a script?
  • Do you have to be a certain age to buy contraception?
  • Do most pharmacies stock the type of contraception you use?
• Where and how you can access STI checks and treatments
  • Is your destination a high risk country for certain STIs, like HIV?
• Where and how you can access abortions
  • Can you get an abortion for any reason?
  • Are abortions performed in clinics or hospitals?
  • Are there abortion services where you are staying? Would you need to travel to another city or country?
  • Are medication and surgical options available?
  • How far along can you access an abortion?
• How much healthcare and medications might cost
  • Could you afford to pay for medicines or a procedure?

Before your trip overseas, it’s a good idea to have the following organised:

• An STI check to confirm your STI status before you travel.
• Get any relevant vaccines for your destination.
• Purchase condoms, dams and lube to take with you.
• If you are taking the oral contraceptive pill or medications to manage STIs, ensure you have enough of your medication for the duration of your trip and make sure it is in its original packaging.  It’s a good idea to pack some of your medication in your carry-on luggage in the case your check-in luggage is lost or stolen.  It may also be handy to carry any prescriptions with you along with a letter from your doctor to confirm what medication you are carrying.  
• Get travel insurance and make sure it covers you for any sexual and reproductive healthcare, in case you need it.

We wish you safe travels on your next holiday!