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Victorian Government caretaker period

As the Victorian State election will be held on Saturday 28 November 2026, the Victorian Government will assume a Caretaker role from 6pm on 3 November 2026. During the caretaker period, content will only be added to this website in accordance with the Caretaker Conventions. See Guidelines for Caretaker Conventions.

Gynaecology

Contraindications to the OCP

  • Absolute contraindications

    • < 6 wks postpartum 
    • smoker over the age of 35 (>15 cigarettes per day)
    • hypertension (systolic > 160mmHg or diastolic > 100mmHg)
    • current of past histroy of venous thromboembolism (VTE)
    • ischemic heart disease
    • history of cerebrovascular accident
    • complicated valvular heart disease (pulmonary hypertension, atrial fibrillation, histroy of subacute bacterial endocarditis)
    • migraine headache with focal neurological symptoms
    • breast cancer (current)
    • diabetes with retinopathy/nephropathy/neuropathy
    • severe cirrhosis
    • liver tumour (adenoma or hepatoma)

    Relative contraindications

    • smoker over the age of 35 (< 15 cigarettes per day)
    • adequately controlled hypertension
    • hypertension (systolic 140 - 159mmHg or diastolic 90 - 99mmHg)
    • migrain headache over the age of 35
    • currently symptomatic gallbladder disease
    • mild cirrhosis
    • history of combined OCP-related cholestasis
    • users of medications that may interfere with OCP metabolism

    World Health Organization.  Improving access to quality care in family planning:  medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use.  2nd ed.  Geneva:  WHO;  2001.