The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre has reported a 240 per cent increase in women accessing long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) in the past six months, highlighting the growing demand for affordable reproductive healthcare.
The Centre’s Executive Director, Sally Stevenson, said the surge reflects a critical unmet need.
“We’ve seen a dramatic increase in women accessing our free LARC in the last six months,” she said. “There is a demand for affordable LARC, but it can be expensive and difficult to access in the Illawarra.”
LARC methods, such as Implanon, are highly effective forms of contraception, but Stevenson explained that cost has been a major obstacle.
Implanon is a rod placed under the skin of the upper arm. It works by slowly releasing hormones into the body and can protect against pregnancy for up to three years.
The process of receiving Implanon often involves a woman paying for a consultation with a GP, purchasing a prescription from a pharmacy, and then booking an appointment for the procedure, with fees at every step.
The cost varies depending on Medicare rebates, bulk billing, and concessions, but women can find themselves paying $300 upfront and being out of pocket by up to $100 after rebates are applied.
The Centre doesn’t charge for contraceptives, including Implanon.
“Many women are commenting that until they found out about our free service, they weren’t able to access LARC because they couldn’t afford it,” she said.
“Women never hesitate to take control of their reproductive health – but it becomes much more difficult when the cost and service are difficult to access.”
Referrals have flowed in through the Centre’s Nurse Practitioner, Editt Melgarejo, while many women have also discovered the service when visiting for other healthcare needs.
Stevenson encouraged women to seek support if they were unsure about what help was available.
“If women are struggling to access affordable contraception, we want them to know that they don’t need to wait or go without,” she said.
Women interested in finding out more about long-acting reversible contraception can book an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner, Editt, by calling 4255 6800.
You can find out more about contraceptive implants in this factsheet from Family Planning Australia.