Schoolies 2019 is about to be here, when this year’s cohort of school leavers celebrate the end of their final secondary school exams. Young people aged 17 and 18 descend en-masse to places like the Gold Coast and Byron Bay – most of them enjoying their first real vacation on the cusp of adulthood and without their parents.

Many thousands of high school graduates annually attend the celebratory festival, and the risk of unprotected sex occurring between attendees is considered to be high.

Most concerningly, and despite what has been previously deemed by many to be adequate sex education offered in most secondary schools, schoolies have a disturbingly-poor knowledge of emergency contraception – both in terms of its availability and how it works. This has led Queensland researchers to call for much better, more up-to-date sex education for high school students.

Schoolies’ Knowledge re-Emergency Contraception

On the first day of Gold Coast Schoolies in 2017, the wristband distribution centre conducted a study into emergency contraception (the “morning-after” pill) which was published on October 1 2019 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.

  • There were 498 school leavers who participated in the study.
  • The average age of participants in the study was 17 years; all were aged 16-18.

The study found that at least among those who attend Schoolies:

  • Female participants were three times more likely to be properly informed than male participants.
  • 50% overall believed that emergency contraception was effective only between 12-24 hours after intercourse.
  • Only 18.5% understood the “morning-after” pill could be taken up to 72 or 120 hours after intercourse (drug-specific).
  • 23% of females believed emergency contraception to be harmful to the woman
  • 32.3% of males believed emergency contraception to be harmful to the woman
  • 63% of schoolies were not aware that emergency contraception can be easily accessed and without a prescription.
  • Many young men surveyed believe emergency contraception to be an exclusively female issue.

Researchers believe emergency contraception awareness does not improve with age.

Emergency Contraception Options

If you have unprotected sex, emergency contraception is available at pharmacies. You do not need a prescription from your doctor for emergency contraception. It is effective in a large percentage of cases when used properly, but it should not replace regular safe sex practices.

  • Levonorgestrel is effective for up to three days (72 hours) after unprotected sex. It has been available without prescription since 2004. It is a single dose medication. It can help avoid between 80-90% of unplanned pregnancies from occurring.
  • Ulipristal is a newer emergency contraception drug that is effective for up to five days (120 hours) from unprotected sex. It has been available without prescription since 2017. It will prevent up to 98% of unplanned pregnancies from occurring.

Clearly, the term “morning-after” pill is misleading and partly to blame for the lack of knowledge relating to emergency contraception.

Young women and their partners need to understand that, while there is no doubt that the effectiveness of emergency contraception is enhanced when used as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse, women, in fact, have up to five days to access this medication from a pharmacy, doctor, sexual health clinic, or family planning clinic. It is available without a prescription.

Some schoolies confuse emergency contraception with the abortion drug RU486. This is an entirely different drug, used in an entirely different circumstance.

Prevent Unwanted Pregnancies: Safe Sex Practices

What do Schoolies need to know?

As a parent, what do you need to know? What can you teach your children?

While it may not be a comfortable subject for some parents to face, it’s important for you and your children to be open and honest and have realistic dialogue and expectations regarding safe sex practices and the options available to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

There are a number of studies that demonstrate that Schoolies has a very high engagement in intoxication and unprotected sex. Unplanned pregnancy is difficult to face at any time of life, but especially so in younger people. As such, it is crucial to provide options and help give peace of mind during this vulnerable time. Awareness and education are the keys to this.

Schoolies need to know:

  • You can say no to sex. Make decisions you are comfortable with for yourself. Understand consent and respect that both participants need to say “Yes”. “No” means “Stop”. You can withdraw consent at any time.
  • Use Condoms when you have sex. They help prevent unwanted pregnancy as well as an array of STIs. Be prepared. Have condoms at hand, even “just in case”.
  • Condoms are widely available at supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, and in vending machines in nightclubs and pubs. Many sexual health centres also provide free condoms onsite.
  • If you have unprotected sex, emergency contraception is available at pharmacies. You do not need a prescription from your doctor for emergency contraception. It is effective in most cases when used properly, but it should not replace regular safe sex practices.
  • If you do have unprotected sex (without a condom), understand that you may have been exposed to an STI. Most STIs have no obvious signs and some have no symptoms. It’s wise to get checked by your doctor or sexual health clinic when you return home from Schoolies.

Due to misinformation, uncertainty, lack of awareness, fear of judgement and fear of harm, young people are failing to access emergency contraception. This needs to change, and providing accurate information to young people is an important first step in this process.

Gynaecology Centres Australia

Gynaecology Centres Australia provides services for unwanted pregnancies as well as women’s health services and male vasectomy. We have five clinic locations across NSW and Canberra, offering women of all ages and from all walks of life full support and confidentiality. All of our medical professionals provide the highest standard of care with confidentiality and compassion.

For more information on our women’s health services, contact us today via https://gcaus.com.au/contact-gca/