World Contraception Day exposes Australia’s high unplanned pregnancy rate amid access and misinformation debate

Pharma News: To mark World Contraception Day (26 September), attention turns to Australia’s persistently high rate of unplanned pregnancies. According to the Unintended Pregnancy Report by Organon Australia, a staggering 40% of pregnancies are unintended, leading to poorer health outcomes for both mothers and babies.

“Fortunately, there is a much greater range of modern contraception now, many of which are LARCs (Long Acting Reversible Contraception). Women can then control their own bodies, deciding themselves when or even if they have children,” noted Peter Strachan, President of Sustainable Population Australia.

In New South Wales, efforts to streamline access to contraception are being made permanent following a successful trial. From Saturday, women who have been on the pill for two years can obtain refills from certified pharmacists without a doctor’s visit, with eligibility now extended up to age 49.

Similar initiatives are underway in Queensland and Victoria, reflecting growing efforts to enhance healthcare accessibility amidst economic challenges, as highlighted by NSW Premier Chris Minns.

“We know that people across NSW are doing it tough right now, even cutting back on essential healthcare because of affordability,” he said.

“At a time when seeing a GP can be difficult, we hope that this service will make it a little bit easier for women to access affordable healthcare, where and when they need it.”

NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park, emphasised the broader implications of empowering pharmacists, citing upcoming expansions in pharmacy services for conditions like ear infections, gastro and acne, aiming to alleviate strain on hospitals and GPs.

However, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) expressed concern, criticising the move as politically motivated.

“This is politically driven policy and it has potentially devastating consequences due to the risks of incorrect treatment and serious illnesses being missed,” RACGP NSW chair, Dr Rebekah Hoffman, said earlier this month.

“The NSW government is kidding itself if it thinks this move will do anything to reduce pressure on the state’s overflowing hospitals.”

In contrast, Catherine Bronger, Senior Vice-President of the Pharmacy Guild NSW branch welcomed the move, saying “Making the availability of the pill at community pharmacies is the right thing for women and our communities.”

Julie Mullan, Director of Medical Affairs at Organon, highlighted the pervasive issue of misinformation about contraception, exacerbated by social media.

“There are two sides to the social media coin, and on this World Contraception Day, it is worth taking a moment to talk about the elephant in the room – online misinformation and disinformation about contraception. Decades of wellbeing and welfare progress around contraception and family planning are being undermined by misinformation and disinformation. And the most significant source of this misinformation is social media,” she said.

“There are ways to address it; we can debunk, correct the record and advocate for evidence on social channels. We have an opportunity and responsibility to do what we can to correct the record.”

Strachan voiced concerns about healthcare disparities, stressing “Because so many contraceptives such as intrauterine devices require medical staff for administering or removal, we must ensure there are nurses with adequate training in every health clinic, both in Australia and in poorer countries.

“While excellent contraceptive methods already exist, nevertheless, there is an urgent need for new and improved services to better serve particular populations in low-resource settings.”

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