Australia: Difference between revisions

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In Australia, you can purchase condoms without a prescription at pharmacies. However, you need a prescription to obtain most other forms of contraception, such as birth control pills, implants, injectables, and IUDs.<ref>[http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html Global Oral Contraception Availability]</ref> <ref>[http://freethepill.org/where-on-earth/ Free the Pill: Where on Earth?]</ref> To receive a prescription, you'll typically need to schedule a consultation with a General Practitioner (GP). The consultations are are pretty straight-forward and don't usually require pelvic exams. There is an incredibly wide range of contraceptives offered, though it should be noted that contraceptive patches are not available in Australia, as of February 2019. It is estimated that 67%-70% of Australian women of fertility age (who are married or in unions) use some form of contraception,<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide, 2015]</ref> without about 24% of Australian women on oral contraceptives.

* As for '''IUDs''', you can get them at various clinics and health care facilities, such as [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/ Marie Stopes Australia].  

** One female traveler wrote about the Mirena that they got in Australia: "It lasts up to 5 years, needs to be fitted by an OBGYN (some charge to put it in, some don't), costs about $40 to buy the IUD if you have a Medicare card and about $245 if you don't."

** Tip from Marie Stopes Australia Staff: "Many people are inclined to get their IUD with their GP, however we strongly recommend that they do with a proceduralist, like Marie Stopes Australia. Many GPs haven’t performed an insertion at all, or don’t perform them regularly and this makes the risk of perforation or other side effects much higher. A proceduralist, like Marie Stopes or Family Planning are people who specialise in doing the insertion and removal of contraception and might perform it up to 10 times a day, so they are going to be much more skilled at minimising pain and the risk of side effects."

* For '''birth control pills,''' you may pay $3-6 for a month supply, if you’re eligible for a Medicare card. It's common to pay for a 4-month supply upfront.

Emergency contraceptive pills are legal and obtainable without a prescription. There are no age restrictions and anyone, no matter their sex, can buy them. EC pills can be found in public sector clinics, pharmacies and emergency rooms. The law requires that pharmacists supply EC for therapeutic reasons. This means that, if a pharmacists wants to confirm therapeutic need, he or she may ask questions about your medical history, medical issues and any medications that you're currently taking before issuing EC.  

* Pads and tampons (without applicators) are very easy to find. Aside from being sold in supermarkets, pharmacies and convenience stores, you can also find them in many bathrooms. You can find tampons with applicators (usually cardboard), like Tampax or Kotex, in major supermarkets and shopping malls. Some other major brands in the menstrual product space are U, Libra, and Stayfree. If you're looking for environmentally-friendly menstrual products, you can also check out [https://thetomco.com/our-brands/tom-organic/ TOM Organic] or [http://cottons.com.au/ Cottons].

* As for menstrual cups, there is one Australian distributor of DivaCup: [http://www.bartonbrands.com.au Barton Brands], Represented By: Lightning Brokers: PO Box 1218, Springwood, Qld 4127, 1-300-884-456, info@biosports.com.au. As for MoonCup, there are no distributors in Australia, it seems, so it should be bought online. As for LadyCup, there are no distributors in Australia, so it's best to buy online or purchase online from an NZ distributor, like Tweedle or Mother's Instinct.

'''Important Note:''' There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a series of pills to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For more information about medical and surgical abortions, you can visit the [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/abortion/ Marie Stopes Australia abortion page].

In Australia, abortion laws are determined by state. We have provided some information (see below) -- and for additional information, you can review this [https://www.childrenbychoice.org.au/factsandfigures/australianabortionlawandpractice summary], provided by Children by Choice.

In the state of Victoria, abortion is permitted for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, it is legal if two physicians agree that it is appropriate. All standard reasons for an abortion are permitted, including to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment, economic or social reasons, and available on request. Furthermore, Mifepristone (the abortion pill) was registered in 2012. The abortion laws in Victoria have been in place since the Abortion Law Reform Act (2008). Before that time, the Victorian Crimes Act, abortions were only permitted if the pregnancy threatened the life of health of the woman.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_Law_Reform_Act_2008_(Victoria) Abortion Law Reform Act 2008 (Victoria)]</ref>

In the state of New South Wales, abortion was decriminalized in September 2019.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/26/asia/abortion-australia-decriminalized-intl-hnk/ CNN: Abortion decriminalized in Sydney after Australian lawmakers overturn 119-year-old law]</ref> Before that time, it was legally permitted in many scenarios, which were very general and broad, meaning that many people were still able find legal means of obtaining an abortion in New South Wales.<ref>[https://www.clinic66.com.au/pregnancy-termination-abortion/abortion-legal-australia/ Is Abortion Legal in Australia?]</ref> However, the passing of the decriminalization legislation unambiguously enabled people to obtain abortion services, fully and legally.

Regarding Misoprostol availabilty, Women on Waves reports that "Misoprostol is available as cytotec. We do not have any information on how easy it is to get in a pharmacy.  In 2012, mifepristone and misoprostol were approved for use in termination of pregnancy by our Therapeutic Goods Administration (http://www.tga.gov.au/hp/information-medicines-mifepristone-gymiso.htm). They are only available through medical practitioners, and cannot be purchased over the counter in pharmacies without a prescription. In practice, access will be difficult for women who don’t live geographically near a clinic or practitioner who provides this service (a similar problem for surgical abortion in Australia)."<ref>[https://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/4970/australia--organizations-and-clinics Australia: Organizations and clinics, Women on Waves]</ref>

In some states, abortion facilities are protected. In these cases, it is illegal to protest within 150 meters of an abortion service.<ref>[http://childrenbychoice.org.au/factsandfigures/australianabortionlawandpractice Australian Abortion Law and Practice]</ref> However, this does not apply to all states.

====Medical Abortion ("the abortion pill") Information==== <!--T:68-->

Women can access medical abortion through a phone service telephone number: 1300 003 707.  

* Please note that General Practitioners can provide medical terminations in primary care practices and community health centres, however often don't want to advertise this for fear of anti-choice picketers or other activities. Check with a Family Planning organisation in the state or territory you are in to find your closest provider.

* [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/ Marie Stopes Australia]: Marie Stopes provides surgical abortion, medical abortion, vasectomy, contraception (and Tubal Ligation in Western Australia only) and counselling. Prices can be found [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/bookings/prices/ here], but they do vary a little by state. All of services come with access to a 24/7 aftercare line in case of complications or concerns. Marie Stopes offer both medical and surgical terminations, including medical abortion via telephone (telehealth). They also offer [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/your-choices/decision-based-abortion-counselling/ decision based counselling] for patients who are unsure if an abortion is right for them, as well as post-abortion counselling for any patients who request it. No referral is required, (except in Western Australia where it is a requirement to access abortion services), patients can call them directly to arrange an appointment or discuss their options on 1300 207 382 or inquire online. Callers outside Australia: +61 3 9658 7470. If you’ve had a procedure and have any concerns, please call [https://www.mariestopes.org.au/support-services/24-hour-aftercare/ 24-hour aftercare service].