A new report says Victorians are facing ongoing inequalities when it comes to accessing sexual and reproductive health care such as abortion and contraception.
Women’s Health Victoria (WHV) examined data from over 30,000 helpline calls, 725 reproductive health providers, and government sources.
It identified a lack of access to timely and affordable reproductive health services, particularly for those in regional and disadvantaged areas.
“While abortion and contraception are basic healthcare rights, they are not accessible for all,” WHV said.
Abortion
Abortion is legal in Victoria up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Late-term abortions can be approved in some circumstances.
Services are provided by public hospitals, private clinics, community health centres, and GPs.
However, WHV found statewide services are limited, impacting some women’s access to care.
Last year, 17% of Victorian GPs provided access to medical abortions.
Less than 20% of pharmacies in the state dispensed the drugs for medical abortions.
The report found access to surgical abortion in Victoria was “even more limited” than medical abortion. In December 2023, 35 Victorian providers offered surgical abortions. Less than half offered abortions after 12 weeks.
The WHV analysis described severe gaps in service locations, and what it called a “postcode lottery” for women accessing reproductive care.
It said regional and disadvantaged communities were ‘deserts’ when it comes to reproductive health access.
Service ‘Deserts’
The report found 67% of local government areas (LGAs) in Victoria had no surgical abortion providers, while 39% lacked pharmacies that dispensed medication abortions.
Nearly one in five areas had no registered medical practitioners who could prescribe the necessary medication.
Access gaps were greater in disadvantaged and regional areas.
Contraception
The report also included findings on long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), e.g. implants and IUDs.
WHV found there were no IUD or hormonal implant service providers listed in more than 25% of regional and rural “high disadvantage” Victorian LGAs.
The report said about half of all regional and rural LGAs had no LARC dispensing pharmacies listed.
Demand
The Victorian Government launched the “1800 My Options” helpline in 2018.
The service “provides information and referrals for sexual and reproductive health services across Victoria.”
Between March 2018 to December 2023, the helpline received 30,344 calls. Nearly 90% of calls to 1800 My Options were related to abortions.
Almost a third of callers said costs were their main barrier to accessing reproductive care.
Recommendations
The WHV report outlined several key recommendations for the Victorian Government including:
- Establishing more reproductive health hubs in areas of most need
- Expanding abortion services across publicly funded hospitals, particularly service after 12 weeks gestation
- Ensuring culturally safe services for First Nations and migrant and asylum seeker communities.
- Providing further funding to the state’s 1800 My Option abortion service helpline
The report emphasised the importance of building “a resilient and robust healthcare system” that provides timely sexual and reproductive services.
Women’s Health Victoria CEO Sally Hasler said delays in accessing abortion services faced by many Victorian women are not coincidental.
“The lack of choice that women from under-served communities have starts with their access to contraception and goes all the way through to their right to choose if, when and how to have an abortion.”
Government
The Victorian Government said it remains committed to upholding people’s “fundamental right” to abortion.
It noted its efforts to improve telehealth services and expand clinical services.
It will launch nine new sexual and reproductive health hubs across Victoria, including in regional areas of “identified need” such as at Horsham and Ararat.
The hubs will offer free or low-cost services including medical abortion care and sexual health testing and treatment, and add to an existing network of 11 hubs statewide.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said: “Women’s bodies should never be up for debate, and in Victoria, it is very simple.”
National debate
Over the past few weeks, abortion has been in the headlines in Australia.
Despite being decriminalised in every jurisdiction, the topic of reproductive rights has re-entered political debates in some states.
Earlier this month, an abortion restriction law narrowly failed to pass South Australia’s Upper House.
In Queensland, it has become a topic of conservation in the lead-up to the state election on Saturday.