Dignity and choice

14 May, 2018 | Advocacy, Equity and access

IUDs are the most effective contraception in Australia, being 99.8% effective in stopping unwanted pregnancies, yet uptake is low compared to the rest of the world. 

Currently only 6.3% of women are using hormonal IUDs, and the uptake of copper IUDs is even smaller.

MSI Australia’s Director of Clinical Excellence Dr Catriona Melville said “women could now choose a more cost-effective pain relief option, Penthrox, when choosing to have their IUD inserted or removed at MSI clinics.”

“We take women’s pain extremely seriously,” said Dr Melville.

“IUD insertion and removal with MSI Australia is often straightforward and minimally painful, with many reporting positive experiences.

“However, we recognise a considerable number of people feel they are unprepared for the severe pain that can occur when having the procedure, as we have heard through the multiple government inquiries into women’s pain that are occurring throughout Australia.

“We took this on board and are broadening pain management options within our clinics.

“We offer IUDs with or without sedation, but we know that the cost of the procedure with sedation can put women out of pocket and they are just not able to pay the price.

“We’re delighted to announce that from September we are now able to offer Penthrox, also known as the green whistle, to women who choose to have their IUD inserted or removed with us.

“For only $55, women and people can now opt to use Penthrox as their pain relief at our clinics throughout Australia.”

MSI Australia’s Clinical Nurse Educator Kara Manser said there have been numerous accounts of traumatic IUD insertion or removal experiences spread through word of mouth and the media, putting off many from undergoing IUD insertion. 

“Our priority is our patients. We don’t ignore or dismiss women’s pain,” said Ms Manser.

“In fact, over 908% of MSI’s workforce in Australia is women. Women should know they will be safe and informed at our clinics.

“We have been working on the education package for Penthrox within our clinics for XX months.

“This has involved x, y z.”

The ‘Green Whistle,’ is a nickname for the medicine Penthrox, which is, under supervision, a self-administered rapid short term pain relief using a hand-held inhaler device. Commonly used in sports medicine, surf lifesaving and dental surgeries. It is now being used for pain relief in IUD insertion and becoming popular in these cases at MSI Australia. 

If you feel anxious about your pain management at any time in your procedure do not shy away from asking a nurse or doctor about how the medicine can help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Penthrox (“Green Whistle”)?

Penthrox (methoxyflurane) is a hand-held inhaler device, commonly known as the “Green Whistle,” used for rapid, short-term pain relief. It is typically used in acute trauma situations or for brief, painful procedures like IUD insertion in the MSI clinic setting. It is non-addictive and straightforward to administer, allowing clients to self-administer under supervision. The inhaler has an anti-anxiety effect on patients, not only does it allow you to not feel pain but eases any anxiety in your body, allowing you to fully relax during your procedure.

Read consumer medicine information

How does it work?

Penthrox consists of the medicine Methoxyflurane, which belongs to a group of anaesthetic agents and reduces pain by making the brain and spinal cord less responsive to excitement and pain.

How much does it cost?

At MSI Australia, Penthrox is available for IUD procedures for an additional $55, which is not claimable from Medicare. It is a cost-effective alternative to IV sedation.

Do I have to decide whether to use Penthrox when making a booking?

You don’t need to decide this when making a booking, but if you choose to use Penthrox, you cannot drive yourself home. Please arrange alternative transportation, such as taxi, rideshare or public transport alone.

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On Wednesday 9^th May, while Australia continued to dissect what the 2018 Federal budget meant for each of us, US-based research and policy body, The Guttmacher Institute and one of the world’s leading medical journals, The Lancet, released a comprehensive report on the progress of sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.

The report contains staggering statistics; almost 4.3 billion people of reproductive age on this planet will experience inadequate sexual and reproductive health services over the course of their lives.

You could easily dismiss the Guttmacher-Lancet report as yet another assessment of the Global South, or non-OECD nations (I refuse to use the term ‘developing’ ). However this is a global report and it is relevant to every nation and every person on this planet.

The report, for the first time, brings together a holistic picture of the state of sexual and reproductive health and rights across the board. It highlights the key issues that we face globally and the common barriers that block access to all of us attaining good sexual and reproductive health.

Most prominently the report highlights the issue of infertility, its wide-spread occurrence (up to 180 million couples are impacted worldwide) and its costly treatment. It mentions cervical cancer, an entirely preventable disease that claims the lives of 266,000 women each year. It highlights the need for greater responses to STIs other than HIV. It also broaches the issue of prostate cancer that kills 310,000 men a year.

Laws, policies, the economy and social norms are all, according to the report, key barriers to responding adequately. These issues and barriers to their resolution are just as relevant to Australia as they are to other nations.

The beauty of this report is that it clearly recommends what countries should support in order to provide adequate sexual and reproductive health and rights to its citizens. It recommends that governments focus on the traditional areas of sexual and reproductive health; contraception, maternal and new born care, and prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDs. However it also recommends that governments provide universal access to care for STIs other than HIV; comprehensive sexuality education; safe abortion care; prevention, detection, and counselling for gender-based violence; prevention, detection, and treatment of infertility and cervical cancer; and counselling and care for sexual health and wellbeing.