Five tips for less stress these holiday

Dec

11

Wednesday, 11 December 2013 

This party season, don’t find yourself with a sexually transmitted infection or an unintended pregnancy. Make sure you’re prepared with enough of your contraceptive method to last the holidays and that you know where to get help if you need it. 

We have five safer sex tips for the festive season that will help prevent an accident from becoming a crisis. 

Tip #1. Check your contraception calendar 

If you use a method of contraception that you need to take every day such, such as the pill, make sure you have enough to last over Christmas – especially if you’re going away. 

“The classic mistake is to go away and forget to take your contraception with you, or to run out of pills on Christmas Eve,” Family Planning national medical advisor Dr Christine Roke says. 

“To avoid this, check when your pill pack is going to run out. If it will run out while you’re away, get a new one before you go.” 

“And, if you’re using Depo Provera (the jab), make sure you’ll be back home before your next injection is due.  Whatever contraception you use, make sure you’re organised and have enough to last.”

To avoid forgetting your contraception if you go away try the following ideas:

• Put it on your list of things to pack
• Leave a note for yourself 
• Set a reminder on your phone 
• Write it in your diary 
• Ask your partner or a friend to remind you 

Tip #2. Stock up on condoms

Keep some condoms with you. Condoms are the only form of contraception that also protect against sexually transmissible infections. Condoms are useful to have with you in case you have sex with someone new or if your regular method of contraception fails or runs out. 

You can get condoms at any Family Planning Clinic – they’re just $5 on prescription for lots of them.

Be condom conscious: 

• Use condoms from a known supplier.
• Check that they have the international condom standard ISO 4074:2002.
• Check the expiry date. Condoms are made from latex and will weaken over time. 
• Store them somewhere cool – for instance, not in the glovebox of your car or in your wallet. It is OK to put them in your wallet before you head out – just don’t store them in there. 
• Use water-based lubes not oils, suntan lotion or Vaseline as they weaken condoms and cause them to break.
• Use a new condom every time you have sex. If you realise you’ve put it on the wrong way, throw it out.   

Tip #3. Know your ECP ABCs  

The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) can prevent pregnancy if you’ve had unprotected sex or your regular contraception has failed. ECP can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex – but the sooner the better.

Another emergency contraception option is an IUD which can be fitted in an emergency to prevent pregnancy – and it gets extra points because once it’s in place, your contraception is sorted for the next five years. An IUD must be fitted by a trained doctor or nurse. 

Tip #4. Map your options

If your contraception fails or you have unprotected sex over Christmas and the local clinics and pharmacies are closed, knowing where to get emergency contraception could make all the difference. 

• Family Planning clinics
• After-hours pharmacies 
• Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for information about services near where you are over the holidays. 

Family Planning clinic opening hours differ from their normal opening hours over the holiday period. These hours are on the clinic pages.

Tip #5. Make sorting your contraception your New Year’s resolution 

There are many contraceptive options available now and many of them are either free or very low cost from a Family Planning Clinic. And, some like the implant or the IUD will give you highly effective contraception for three or even five years. 

While you’ve got some downtime over the holidays, check out the range of contraception available through our clinics and make an appointment for early in the New Year so you can start 2014 with your contraception sorted. 

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