We’re all for loving our bodies as they are, but there’s no denying that owning a uterus, ovaries, cervix, and/or breasts comes with extra baggage
Trying to figure out where to start with contraception, abortion, cervical screening, and pelvic pain can be overwhelming. And then there are those unusual lumps, bumps and sensations, or mood swings that come out of nowhere, or brain fog, or just a niggling feeling that something isn’t right…
There is help available, provided by healthcare professionals who know their stuff, are welcoming and pro-choice, and can talk through options for further care that work for you. The following services cover the Grampians region, and you do not need a referral or a Medicare card to contact/attend them.
1800MyOptions
https://www.1800myoptions.org.au/
Confidential and free phone line and online service, giving information about contraception, pregnancy options (including abortion) and sexual health. 1800MyOptions can provide advice about abortion options best suited to your stage of pregnancy and help you find the closest/most practical options wherever you live.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/sexual-and-reproductive-health-hubs
SRH Hubs provide information and support on all types of contraception, sexual health testing and treatment, medical abortion and referral for surgical abortion of pregnancy. All SRH hubs are equipped to provide Green Whistle support for IUD/Mirena insertions. There are currently SRH hubs in Ballarat (Lucas, Sebastopol, Wendouree), Ararat, Stawell and Horsham.
Virtual Women’s Health Clinic
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/services-and-support/virtual-womens-health-clinic
Services offered include treatment and support for a range of conditions and women’s health issues, including routine cervical screening via self-collection, and all things menopause. Book online or by phone.
Mobile Women’s Health Clinic
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/services-and-support/mobile-womens-health-clinic
Provides free sexual and reproductive healthcare and health education and support to girls, women and gender diverse people from puberty age and above. To find out where the bus is in Victoria, visit BreastScreen Victoria.
Sexual Health Victoria
https://www.shvic.org.au/
Sexual Health Victoria offers routine cervical screening appointments for women and gender diverse people with a disability via telehealth. It also offers routine cervical screening for men and transmasculine people with a cervix via telehealth.
First Nations women’s health
First Nations women may feel more comfortable accessing the BADAC Clinic in Ballarat, Goolum Goolum’s Hamilton Street Medical Clinic in Horsham, Budja Budja Medical Clinics in Halls Gap and Ararat, or travelling to Melbourne to the two dedicated Aboriginal Women’s Health Clinics in Thomastown and Frankston:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/services-and-support/aboriginal-womens-health-clinic
If you do not speak English (or are supporting someone who does not speak English) and would like to find out more about sexual and reproductive healthcare in Victoria, there is help available.
Health information searchable by topic and language: https://www.healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/
Health information in easy English and a wide range of languages: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/translated
To contact one of the services listed above via an interpreter, you can call TIS National (Translating and Interpreting Service) at 13 14 50 and ask to connect to the service.
If you have a disability or identify as Deaf and prefer to have information in Easy English, Plain Language or Auslan Interpreted, you can go here: https://www.shvic.org.au/for-you/resources/