Want long-term contraception? There are more effective options than the pill. But they can be hard to find

Deborah Bateson and Kathleen McNamee

Australians’ access to a range of contraceptive options depends on where they live and how wealthy they are. A recent parliamentary inquiry recommends ways to end this “postcode lottery” for people who want to use long-acting reversible contraception.

There are several types of long-acting reversible contraception: the hormonal contraceptive implant, the hormonal intrauterine devices (IUD) and copper IUDs.

With fewer than one in 100 users becoming pregnant in a year while using them (compared to up to seven in 100 contraceptive pill users) these are the most effective contraceptives available. Once they’re inserted into the body, you don’t need to remember to carry a condom, take a daily pill or fill a new script.

So why are they so hard to access in Australia? And what needs to change?

How do they work?
The contraceptive implant (known as Implanon NXT in Australia) is a small