In a huge win for menstruating women across the country, Australians can now have their birth control pill delivered straight to their front door.
Huge, I know.
It’s a tough gig being a menstruating woman. Not only do you have to bleed every month, worry about getting pregnant and feel the pain of your uterus shedding inside of you, but you also have to see both a doctor and a pharmacist every few months just to get your contraception.
Considering the median age of women giving birth has risen to 31 years, more and more of us are looking for effective long-term contraceptive methods that aren’t a pain in the ass to organise.
If you’re not keen on getting an IUD, the bar or the depo shot, you’re basically forced to visit your doctor and pharmacist every three months to pick up your pill. As a working, living woman, I frankly don’t have time for that.
But thanks to Kin Fertility, the 1.6 million Australian women who use the contraceptive pill can now skip their quarterly doctors visit and get their birth control delivered straight to their door.
In the same way that you’d receive a subscription beauty or meal service, you could now have your contraception delivered on schedule every time you’re about to run out.
To access the program, you need to fill out an online survey to provide the doctors at Kin Fertility with the same information you’d usually give your GP.
The questionnaire features the same sorts of questions your regular GP would ask, such as why you want to use birth control (e.g Endometriosis, pregnancy planning, pain reduction, skin conditions), your medical history and your basic health information.
The doctors will then review your information and organise a text-based consultation (see: no awkward phone calls talking about your uterus with a stranger) to discuss any concerns or complications you might have.
If the doctors think you’re suitable, you can select your pill and they’ll ship it out to you every quarter.
The company offers 35 different contraceptive brands that you’d see at your local pharmacy, so it’s an option even if you’re like me and have to use a weird birth control that none of your friends have ever heard of.
To access the Kin Fertility service, you pay an annual membership fee of $55 in addition to the actual cost of your pill. This may sound steep, but this includes any consults you may need with a doctor throughout the year (which can add up if you’re not quite sure which pill will work for you).
Honestly, $55 is a small price to pay for the convenience of not having to schedule doctors appointments and trips to the pharmacy, especially if you have a demanding work schedule.
It’s 2020 and you have better things to do with your time than lining up at the doctors and chemist for your birth control.
