If it happens
Condom Split: What to Do Next in Australia
Calm steps for the first hour, the 72-hour window for HIV PEP and who to ring.
Stop, check in with each other, and ring a sexual health clinic or head to a hospital emergency department today. Sydney Sexual Health Centre says HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) must start within 72 hours of exposure to work, and lists a hotline on 1800 737 669. Mention pregnancy if it's a worry, and book an STI test.
General information from the services named, not personal medical advice.
The first hour: what to do, in order
- Stop and say so. Nobody needs to panic or blame. Carry on only with a new condom, and only if you both agree, out loud.
- Note the time. The PEP window runs from the exposure.
- Ring today. Try a clinic from the table below or a PEP hotline, or go to a hospital emergency department. Say when it happened, and tell them if pregnancy is a worry.
- Ask when to test. Timing differs by infection, so let the clinic set it.
PEP, PrEP and window periods in plain words
- PEP
- A medicine for after a possible HIV exposure. Sydney Sexual Health Centre says it is available there or at a hospital emergency department and must start within 72 hours to work; Metro North, in Queensland, names any public emergency department or sexual health clinic and describes four weeks of daily tablets.
- PrEP
- A medicine that people without HIV take to lower their risk of getting it (Sexual Health Quarters). Metro North notes it doesn't protect against other infections or pregnancy.
Sydney Sexual Health Centre gives a PEP hotline on 1800 737 669 and says to attend your local hospital emergency room if it's closed. Victoria's line is 1800 889 887 (Better Health Channel, reviewed 31 August 2022).
Window period is the gap before a test can show an infection: up to 7 days for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and up to 12 weeks for HIV and syphilis, says Sexual Health Quarters. The Australian STI Management Guidelines give a 6-week window for an HIV antigen/antibody test, so ask your clinic when to retest.
Getting tested: when, and what to expect
Sexual Health Quarters says chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing is a urine sample or a self-taken swab, and often a blood test for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. Its results are usually back within 7 days, and it suggests following up if you hear nothing after 14.
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre recommends testing even when condoms were used. WA Health says 85% to 90% of people with chlamydia have no symptoms.
Who to ring: sexual health clinics by city
Most of these clinics see people by appointment, so ring first. Elsewhere, healthdirect has a Find a health service page.
| City | Service | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Sydney Sexual Health Centre | (02) 9382 7440 |
| Melbourne | Melbourne Sexual Health Centre | 03 9341 6200 or 1800 032 017 |
| Brisbane | Brisbane Sexual Health Clinic | (07) 3837 5611 |
| Perth | Sexual Health Quarters, with a same-day clinic if you have no symptoms | (08) 9227 6177 |
| Adelaide | SHINE SA, with walk-in sessions at Woodville and Hyde Street | 8300 5300 |
| Canberra | Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT | 02 6247 3077 |
| Gold Coast | Gold Coast Sexual Health Clinic | 07 5687 9200 |
| Newcastle | Pacific Clinic | 02 4016 4536 |
| Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast Sexual Health Clinic | 07 3542 5065 |
Telling the person you were with
Say it soon and plainly: what happened, what you're doing about it, and a suggestion that they get tested too. The Australian STI Management Guidelines list a new sexual partner, or simply asking for a test, as reasons for a standard check-up. If the reply turns nasty, block and report them; the safety page covers the tools and the hookup etiquette guide the tone.
Condom split: your questions
What should I do if a condom breaks?
Stop and check in with each other, then ring a sexual health clinic or go to a hospital emergency department. Say when it happened and mention pregnancy if it worries you. PEP, a medicine taken after a possible HIV exposure, must start within 72 hours, says Sydney Sexual Health Centre.
How long do I have to start PEP?
Within 72 hours of the exposure, according to Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Metro North in Queensland and the Australian STI Management Guidelines. Phone a clinic or a hotline, or go to a hospital emergency department.
Do I still need a test if we used a condom?
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre recommends testing even when condoms are used. After a split, ask the clinic when to test and when to repeat it, because some infections take weeks to show.
Do I need a Medicare card to be seen?
It varies, so ask when you ring. Brisbane Sexual Health says no Medicare card is needed, NSW Health lists Newcastle's Pacific Clinic the same way, and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre sees people at no charge with or without one. Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT charges for all services, and Sexual Health Quarters charges unless you hold a Health Care Card or are 18 or under.
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