Contraception · Time-sensitive help
Emergency contraception: where to get timely help
Act as soon as you can after unprotected sex or a contraception problem. A pharmacist or local health service may be able to help sooner than a routine telehealth appointment.
Where can I seek emergency-contraception advice?
For immediate emergency-contraception access, a HerDoc appointment should not be your first step if waiting could delay care. Contact a pharmacist or local health service now; even if several days have passed, ask promptly rather than assuming there is no option. A HerDoc GP can still help later with ongoing contraception or follow-up questions after the immediate need has been addressed.
Get help as soon as possible
Contact a pharmacy now or use Healthdirect to find a local health service. Do not wait for a HerDoc appointment if that could delay access. Call 000 for an emergency or immediate danger.
You do not need to justify asking for help
People seek emergency contraception after sex without contraception, a condom problem, missed or delayed use of a regular method, vomiting or diarrhoea that may have affected it, or sexual assault. You can ask for help without being judged and without having every detail perfectly organised.
If sexual contact was not consensual, you can still seek contraception and medical care without deciding immediately whether to report to police. You choose what support you want.
Start with the fastest appropriate service
Timing matters, and different options have different time windows. Contact a pharmacy as soon as possible, or use the Healthdirect Service Finder to locate a pharmacy, GP, family-planning service or other local care.
A trained clinician can discuss an emergency IUD, which requires a face-to-face procedure. Availability, suitability, procedure timing and cost must be confirmed with the local service.
What a pharmacist or clinician may ask
Have the best estimate you can of when sex occurred and where you are in your cycle. They may also ask about current contraception, any missed or delayed use, medicines and supplements, health conditions, body weight, allergies, breastfeeding and whether pregnancy could already have begun.
These questions help the health professional give individual advice. Do not delay contacting a service because you are unsure of an answer.
Plan follow-up after the immediate question
Ask when pregnancy testing would be useful, what changes in bleeding or symptoms need review and what to do if you have another contraception problem. If STI exposure is possible, ask about testing and any time-sensitive care.
You can discuss ongoing contraception later, once the immediate access question has been addressed. The choosing and reviewing pages can help you prepare for that separate conversation.
Confidential sexual-assault support
If you have experienced sexual assault or violence, confidential support is available through 1800RESPECT 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or use online chat or video call at 1800RESPECT.
Call 000 if you are in immediate danger. You do not have to disclose an assault to HerDoc to use the support service directly.
Pregnancy concerns or severe symptoms need medical assessment
Emergency contraception does not end a pregnancy that has already started and does not protect against STIs. Ask a pharmacist or doctor when to test for pregnancy and seek review if your next period is late or unusual for you.
Seek prompt local care for severe or worsening lower abdominal or pelvic pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, fever, feeling very unwell or another pregnancy-related concern. Call 000 for collapse, severe bleeding, severe pain with serious illness or immediate danger.
Related pages
FAQs
What is emergency contraception?
Emergency contraception reduces the chance of pregnancy after unprotected sex or a contraception problem. A pharmacist can explain pharmacy options, while an IUD option requires a trained clinician and face-to-face procedure.
How soon should I seek emergency-contraception advice?
As soon as possible. Different options have different time windows and generally work best when accessed early, so contact a pharmacist or local service now rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Can I discuss emergency contraception with an online GP?
You can discuss the situation with an online GP, but HerDoc does not promise that an appointment will be available within the relevant window or that a particular option will be provided. Use a pharmacy or local service first if waiting could delay care.
Where can I seek emergency-contraception advice?
Contact a pharmacist or local health service as soon as possible. They can explain the available options and whether another service is needed; stock, opening hours and fees vary.
Is there an emergency-contraception option that requires a face-to-face procedure?
Yes. An emergency IUD is inserted by a trained clinician and cannot be provided through telehealth. Contact a local procedure service promptly to ask about timing, suitability, availability and cost.
How will a pharmacist or doctor help decide which option fits?
They may ask about when sex occurred, your cycle, current contraception, medicines, health history, body weight, breastfeeding and pregnancy possibility. The answer depends on those details and on which services are available in time.
Does emergency contraception end a pregnancy that has already started?
No. Emergency contraception is used after unprotected sex to reduce the chance of pregnancy. If a pregnancy test is positive or pregnancy may already have started, seek pregnancy advice from a health professional.
When should I take a pregnancy test or seek pregnancy advice?
Ask the pharmacist or clinician for timing that fits your situation. Seek advice if your next period is late or unusual, a pregnancy test is positive, or you develop pain, bleeding, faintness or another concerning symptom.
Why might body weight, medicines or health history matter?
These factors can affect which emergency option a pharmacist or clinician recommends. Give them the most accurate information you can and include non-prescription products and supplements.
What if I have questions after using emergency contraception?
Contact a pharmacist, GP or the service that helped you for individual advice about symptoms, bleeding, pregnancy testing or what to do next. Do not rely on general instructions if vomiting, another episode of unprotected sex or a regular-method question changes the situation.
Can I discuss ongoing contraception at a later appointment?
Yes. Once the time-sensitive question has been addressed, you can talk with a GP about what you want from ongoing contraception and whether your current approach still fits. The choosing or reviewing guide can help you prepare.
Should I consider STI testing after unprotected sex?
It may be useful, depending on the contact, timing and your circumstances. A sexual-health service, GP or pharmacist can help direct you, and the HerDoc sexual-health page explains what can be discussed online.
Where can I get confidential support after sexual assault?
1800RESPECT provides confidential domestic, family and sexual-violence counselling and support 24/7. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or use online chat or video call; call 000 if you are in immediate danger.
Can emergency contraception be discussed more than once?
Yes. Seek advice whenever a new situation arises, because the timing, medicines and current contraception may be different. A health professional can also discuss pregnancy testing, STI questions and ongoing contraception when you are ready.
Which symptoms or pregnancy concerns need prompt or urgent care?
Seek prompt local assessment for severe or worsening pelvic or lower abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, fever, feeling very unwell, a positive pregnancy test with symptoms or another serious pregnancy concern. Call 000 for collapse, severe bleeding, severe pain with serious illness or immediate danger.