Melbourne

Australia / Victoria / Melbourne

OVERVIEW

Contraception

Laws & Social Stigmas

In Australia, you will need a prescription from a physician to obtain birth control. However, these consultations are pretty straight-forward and do not typically require pelvic exams. There is an incredibly wide range of contraceptives offered, from hormonal pills to injectables and IUDs, and practically every known contraceptive is available in Australia. It is estimated that 67%-70% of Australian marriage of fertility age (who are married or in unions) use some form of contraception, without about 24% of Australian women on oral contraceptives.

Note: Australian women who believe they may have been adversely affected by Yaz or Yasmin can register for a potential class action suite: http://tgb.com.au/enquire/class-action/

What to Get & Where to Get It

While you may consult with many physicians for a birth control prescription, here are some recommendations:

• The Royal Women's Hospital: "The Women’s is Australia’s first and largest specialist hospital dedicated to improving the health of all women and newborns." Address: 20 Flemington Rd, Parkville, Victoria. Main Reception Phone: (03) 8345 2000.
• Family Planning Victoria: Address: 901 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill VIC 3128, Australia. Hours: Open today · 9AM–5PM. Phone: +61 3 9257 0100
• Fertility Control Clinic: Expensive if you're uninsured but quality care. Address: 118 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9419 2922. Hours: Open today · 7:30AM–5PM
• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre: "Specializes in the testing, treatment and management of sexually transmissible infections. Also offers Pap smears, contraception, and related services." Address: 580 Swanston St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia. Hours: Open 12:30–5PM. Phone: +61 3 9341 6200
• St. Kilda Super Clinic: Address: 1/158 Acland St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9525 5766

You can also get a birth control prescription and order contraceptives online at:

• Doctos - a legitimate company that offers Depo-Provera, Nuvaring and oral contraceptives such as Levlen, Estelle 35, Yasmin, Yaz, Microgynon, etc.
• The Chemist Warehouse: We don't know much about this company but they sell oral contraceptives (Levlen, Trifeme, Microlut, Monofeme, Nordette, Microgynon) and IUDs (Mirena). They claim to be "Australia's #1 Online Pharmacy" and have free shipping for orders over $99.

As for condoms, they're easy to purchase at supermarkets, chemists/pharmacies, convenience stores and petrol stations. If you're looking for free condoms, check out Frontyard Youth Service, which is at 19 King Street (near Flinders Lane). Phone: 03 9611 2411 or Freecall: 1800 800 531. There's also Red Aware: "If you live in Australia, you can receive a free safe sex kit with condoms tin, and awesome safe sex ... Would you like to sign up to receive a free RedAware safe sex kit?"

Costs

Generally, you'll pay $3-6 for a month supply of birth control pills.

For condoms, if you're a young person, you should look into the Condom Credit Card, which is "a friendly, confidential way for young people to get FREE condoms! Simply go to a Family Planning NSW clinic or a service that displays the CCCard posters and ask for your own CCCard. Then you can to receive free condoms every time you present your CCCard at a registered provider. For more information about the Condom Credit Card, visit the NSW website or the Aboriginal Medical Services website.

Important Tip: If you qualify, you may want to get a Medicare Card and look into Bulk Billing, which is a payment option under Australia's Medicare system. When the health service provider (e.g. doctor) bills the government (via the patient's Medicare card), the provider is paid 85% of the scheduled fee for outpatient services and 75% of the scheduled fee for inpatient services by the government. This allows the service provider to receive a fixed proportion of the scheduled fee and avoid debt collection. And, as a patient, this means you may not be charged anything.

Emergency Contraception

Important Notes: The earlier you take emergency contraception, the more effectively it works. After unprotected sex, take it as soon as possible. If you don't have access to EC, you can sometimes use regular oral contraceptives as EC. But there are three important things to remember: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC (so confirm they work as EC first) 2) Different oral contraceptives require different dosages to work as EC (so get the proper instructions) and 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs.

Laws & Social Stigmas

Emergency contraception is legal and obtainable without a prescription. There are no age restrictions and anyone, no matter their sex, can buy them. EC brands like Plan B or Next Choice can be found in public sector clinics, pharmacies and emergency room. According to the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception, ""While community pharmacists are not required by law to ask specific questions prior to supplying LNG-EC in Australia, questioning may occur in practice. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia supports increased access for young women with no specific restrictions on third party supply and advanced supply. Access can be limited in rural areas if the only pharmacist in town has a conscientious objection to supplying the LNG-ECP and there is no alternative supplier nearby. There are no legal age restrictions for supplying ECPs, but many pharmacists may prefer to refer women under 16 years of age to a doctor rather than provide it themselves over the counter."

There are strict guidelines in Australia, dictated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, regarding how EC should be sold by local chemists. However, many Australian women do not feel that they are receiving that they are receiving adequate information. As reported by the Conversation in 2015, "...62% of the women we spoke to expressed concern about the lack of privacy. What’s more, many women were confused about this type of pill – some thought it caused an abortion (32%) and others that it would cause defects if they were to fall pregnant later (61%). Only 20% of pharmacists always informed women about how the emergency contraceptive pill worked, while the majority spoke about how long it would remain effective after unprotected sex. Many pharmacists agreed that the pill shouldn’t be supplied if unprotected sex had occurred longer than three days ago."

What to Get & Where to Get It

Note: You can now buy ellaOne in Australia, which is an emergency contraceptive that is effective for up to five days after unprotected sex. Of course, take EC as soon as possible -- but, if it has been a few days since you had unprotected sex, try to find ellaOne.

For dedicated EC, progestin-only, there are Levonelle-1, Norlevo-1 and Postinor 1 (take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex). There are also Levonelle-2 and Postinor-2 (take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex). If you cannot access dedicated EC, you may use some oral contraceptives as EC. They are Microlut (take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex), Levlen ED, Microgynon 30 ED, Monofeme 28, Nordette 28 (take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later), or Loette, Microgynon 20 ED or Microlevlen ED (take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later).

As reported by the Conversation: "If a woman had unprotected sex outside of this timeframe, a pharmacist can still supply the emergency contraceptive pill. This supply is called 'off label' as it is outside of the TGA-licensed use. In such cases, pharmacists should inform women about the effectiveness of this emergency contraception beyond three days and document that they supplied it. (Or they could recommend the woman have an intrauterine device (IUD) placed instead. This IUD is the most effective form of emergency contraception and can be inserted up to five days after unprotected sex.)"

Costs

EC should cost between 20-50 AUSD.

Advocacy & Counseling

What to Get & Where to Get It

• If you're in immediate danger, dial 000
• 1800 RESPECT or 1800 737 732: The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line is a free telephone and online confidential service for any Australian experiencing or who has experienced domestic or family violence and/or sexual assault. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service: 1800 015 188 or 03 9322 3555

List of Additional Resources

• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre Tel. (03) 9341 6200 or 1800 032 017 or TTY (for the hearing impaired) (03) 9347 8619
• Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men's Health Centre Tel. (03) 9865 6700 or 1800 134 840
• Education and Resource Centre, Alfred Health Tel. (03) 9076 6993
• The Centre Clinic, St Kilda Tel. (03) 9525 5866
• Family Planning Victoria Tel. (03) 9257 0100 or 1800 013 952
• Action Centre (for young people 25 years and under) Tel. (03) 9660 4700 or 1800 013 952
• PEP Information Line Tel. 1800 889 887
• Ballarat Sexual Health Clinic Tel. (03) 5338 4500
• Bendigo Community Health Tel. (03) 5434 4330
• Geelong Sexual Health Tel. (03) 5202 9333
• Wodonga Clinic 35 Tel. (02) 6022 8888
• Traralgon AIDS/STD Clinic Tel. (03) 5173 8111
• Warrnambool Community Health Care – Sexual Health Tel. (03) 5563 1666