Travel health advice - women

Travel health and safety is a bit more complicated for women than for men. But there are advantages too - it's easier for a woman on her own to make friends, and people tend to look out for you.

• Periods
• Contraception
• Female health issues
• Personal safety

Periods

If you're going to a developing country, take your towels and/or tampons with you. They can be hard to find in many places, and can also be expensive.

Compact tampons take up the least space and are most resistant to squashing - however, the plastic applicator is not as environmentally-friendly as a cardboard one. Make sure you dispose of all sanitary products carefully - wrapped and binned is usually safer than flushing.

If you want to skip periods while travelling, talk to your GP about the contraceptive pill and other hormone treatments which can enable you to control your cycle. Heed the doctor's advice - there is a limit to how many periods you can skip.

Contraception

If you are on the contraceptive pill, taking it at the same time can be difficult if you're travelling through several time zones. The best way around this is to start taking it one hour earlier or later before you start travelling, and do the same in your destination, until you arrive at a convenient time.

Holiday tummy can affect how your pill is absorbed. If you have diarrhea or vomit within a few hours of taking your pill, it may not have been absorbed and you need to take extra precautions. Check your leaflet for advice.

If you think there's a possibility of holiday romance, pack your own condoms. They may not be easy to find abroad, and the standard may not be as high as British kite-marked ones. It goes without saying that you need a condom if you're planning to have sex with a new partner. Be aware that in some countries (like Laos), it's illegal for a foreigner to have sex with a local.

Female health issues

If you have ever suffered from thrush or cystitis, pack some treatments for these. Conditions like these can sometimes appear more often when you're travelling (eg if you don't drink enough water, if you're in a hot climate) and you can't always find treatments for such things locally.

Some woman pack antibiotics as a precaution against stomach upsets or other infections - your doctor can give you a prescription for these. Be aware that these can interfere with the pill, and also give you thrush.

Personal safety

Thousands of women travel alone every year and most remain safe. Your most likely scenario is being a victim of a pickpocket - unpleasant but thankfully not violent.

The best advice to remain safe while travelling is to not do things which you wouldn't do at home. These include walking down dark alleys by yourself, going off with a man you don't know, and getting so drunk you don't know what you're doing.

When you're going out on your own, tell people where you're going (eg other travellers in your hostel or the hostel manager). Keep in regular contact with the folks back home and let them know your itinerary, especially if it changes. If you feel unwell, let the people around you know - they will usually keep an eye on you.

Lone women travellers benefit from locals and other travellers looking out for them. If you ever need help, don't be afraid to ask for it, and pay attention to safety advice - if that's from your guidebook, locals or other travellers. And don't forget that you're a safety net for other women travellers too - so offer help when it's needed.

• Related links
• Malaria prevention
• Travel health
• Travel safety
• Travel vaccinations
• Travel health advice - men

• Other sections
• Choose a career break
• Plan your career break
• Find inspiration
• Staying in touch