Bubble sex and lockdown contraception:Be careful out there for your health’s sake
As we hunker down in our ‘‘bubbles’’ for the next few weeks, families and flatmates all over the nation are finding ways to while away the hours indoors, without the usual distractions of work, socialising and travel.
For couples, one thing that may well be continuing during lockdown is sex.
In fact, if historical events are an indicator, there is probably more of it happening now in existing relationships than might be the norm.
Most large global disasters in the past have led to mini ‘‘baby booms’’, with spikes in birth rates occurring nine months after major hurricanes, earthquakes and the like.
I suspect this results from not only the increased time that couples have to spend together when they are not going out to work, but also from the lack of access to usual family planning and health services.
(Take note: I’m using the term ‘‘couples’’ deliberately, as clearly it’s not going to be possible to start a new relationship or have casual sex over the next few weeks, other than with someone in your bubble.)
What is good to remember if you are adding ‘‘sex’’ to your activity list during lockdown, is that it still needs to tick all the boxes it usually would – consensual and safe, in terms of sexually-transmitted infection risk and also pregnancy, unless of course you are hoping to conceive and add to the postCovid-19 baby boom!
In terms of infection risk, the only reliable way to do this is to use condoms.
This isn’t an issue if you are in a monogamous, existing relationship and you are both up to date with STI testing, but for anyone embarking on new ‘‘within the bubble’’ sex, you do need to use condoms – the last thing a straining health service needs right now is to be dealing with an outbreak of chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
You can get condoms from the supermarket, pharmacy, or by prescription from your GP but please only do this as a nonurgent request.
GPs are absolutely swamped at the moment, juggling the extra demands of Covid-19, while still trying to service their community’s usual health needs.
Many labs around the country aren’t doing their usual range of STI testing, as they are simply too busy processing coronavirus swabs.
For contraception, the advice will depend on whether or not you are already using contraception and, if so, what sort you are on. If you are wanting to start contraception now, clinics won’t want to see you in person.
This isn’t personal, but the more people who come through our doors, the higher the risk of
coronavirus spread, to you and to health workers.
The safest option for nearly everyone who hasn’t used contraception before – and can’t be assessed in person by a GP or nurse – will be the progesterone only pill (or POP). There are very few contraindications to taking this type of contraception and it can be safely prescribed without checking things like your blood pressure (which other types of pill require).
It isn’t perfect for everyone – and does require you to be very reliable about taking it each day at the same time – but is a good solution for now.
If you are already using contraception, the easiest thing is just to stay on that until ‘‘business as usual’’ resumes. Then, if you want to switch to something else, you can do it in a timely way, with plenty of opportunity to think through the choices.
For contraceptive pills (the POP and the combined pill or COCP), doctors can prescribe six months’ supply at a time (though, currently, pharmacies are handing out this in three-monthly lots to try to manage their stocks).
If you are running short, please request a prescription from your GP in the usual way – via telephone, portal or email – and be patient.
If you use the depo injection for contraception, it will last for
12 weeks and possibly a week or so longer. If you are approaching
12 weeks since your last injection, I’d recommend you call or email your practice and find out what they suggest.
If you use ‘‘longer acting’’ contraception, such as an intrauterine device (a coil, a mirena or a jaydess) or an implant, there’s no need to do anything as long as it’s not due to expire in the next few weeks. If it is, chat to your GP.
Lastly, if you require emergency or post-coital contraception, please don’t assume you won’t get pregnant just because we are in lockdown!
Family Planning clinics and GPs will be able to provide you with advice over the phone about the best option, and the sooner you get this advice, the more effective the method will be.
Stay well everyone and, if you want more information, the Family Planning website (familyplanning.org.nz) is full of awesome resources.
The last thing a straining health service needs right now is an outbreak of chlamydia or gonorrhoea.