Women’s health

At Queen Street Pharmacy we offer discreet and confidential consultations with our trained and accredited Pharmacists who are able to prescribe oral contraceptives, and antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections. Book a consultation

Emergency contraceptive pill

The emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) can be taken after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy.

The ECP stops or delays the release of an egg from your ovaries until the sperm aren’t active in your body any more, and prevents the sperm from fertilising an egg by changing the way the sperm moves in your body.

The ECP pill doesn’t work once the egg has been fertilised and doesn’t harm you or a developing embryo.

The ECP is approved to be taken up to 72 hours after sex (three days). However for most people it is still effective up to four days after sex.

It has a success rate of 98% for those of average weight when taken within four days of unprotected sex.

Talk to one of our Queen Street accredited ECP pharmacists today to arrange a consultation.

For more info, go to familyplanning.org.nz

Oral contraceptive pill

There are 2 types of oral contraception available in New Zealand:

  • The combined pill, known as ‘the pill’, which contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen.

  • The progestogen-only pill, which contains only progestogen. Read more about the progestogen-only pill.

The oral contraceptive pill is now available without a prescription. Talk to one of our Queen Street accredited Pharmacists today to arrange a consultation.

If you have previously been prescribed an oral contraceptive pill by your doctor and are generally in good health, you may be eligible to purchase the same oral contraceptive from our pharmacists. The pharmacist will need to work through a checklist and, if eligible, you will be able to purchase up to 6 months of oral contraceptive tablets at a time.

Urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect any part of your urinary system – kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra – and are commonly known as cystitis or bladder infections.

About 1 in every 2 women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime. The most common is cystitis, an infection that affects your bladder.

Symptoms of a UTI include burning or pain when peeing and needing to pee more often and more urgently.

UTIs can be treated with antibiotics, but they are not always needed.

Self-care includes taking pain relief and drinking plenty of water. There is no strong evidence that cranberry products help.

In rare cases, the infection can spread to your kidneys. This is known as pyelonephritis and needs urgent medical care.

What causes a UTI?

An infection in your urinary system may be caused by:

  • sexual intercourse

  • problems in the structure of your kidneys, bladder or tubes

  • irritation of the urethra by chemicals (eg, soaps, perfumes, vaginal hygiene sprays, spermicidal lubricants)

  • ulcers or inflammation near your urethra

  • unprotected sex

  • sexually transmitted infection (STI), eg, chlamydia

  • radiation therapy which can irritate the lining of the bladder

  • bacteria from your anal area (bottom) entering your bladder via your urethra – the urethra is shorter in women than in men so it is easier for bacteria to reach the bladder and cause infection in women.

Can I get antibiotics for a UTI from my pharmacy without a prescription?

Many pharmacists are now able to sell an antibiotic called trimethoprim for the treatment of UTIs in women. This is available without a prescription if you are a woman aged 16–65 years, you're not pregnant and you don't have any other complicating factors.

Trained Queen Street Pharmacists will work through a thorough checklist to ensure certain criteria are met before supplying medication.

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