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Guide

Condom broke? What to do, hour by hour

By spafe ·Reviewed 19 Jul 2026 ·Medical facts below are drawn from healthdirect, Better Health Channel and state sexual health services, with numbered links where each figure appears. If in doubt, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222

First, breathe. A broken condom is fixable, and you have time, but two clocks are ticking. If pregnancy is possible, emergency contraception works best as soon as possible. Emergency contraception is available over the counter at any Australian pharmacy without a prescription, and one option works up to 5 days after1. If HIV exposure is a realistic possibility, PEP must start within 72 hours, from a hospital emergency department or sexual health clinic2. Everything else, including STI tests, can wait a week or more. Here’s the whole plan, hour by hour.
The plan

Hour by hour

Right now

Stop, withdraw, and don’t douche

Stop as soon as you notice. A gentle wash with warm water is fine, but don’t douche, vaginally or anally, because it pushes things further and can irritate the skin barrier.
Today, ideally within 24 hours

Emergency contraception, if pregnancy is possible

Ask the pharmacist for emergency contraception, they handle this every single day. The sooner it’s taken the better it works, and the table below compares your three options, including one that covers you to 5 days.
Within 72 hours

PEP, if HIV exposure is realistic

PEP is a 4-week course of medication that can prevent HIV after an exposure, and it must start within 72 hours, the earlier the better2. If your partner’s status is unknown but the situation carries real risk (a partner from a higher-prevalence group, or a partner who is HIV positive and not on treatment), go to a hospital emergency department or sexual health clinic today and say the words “I need PEP”. Details and state hotlines at getpep.info.
Day 7 to 14

First STI tests

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests become reliable from about 1 to 2 weeks after exposure4. A GP, a sexual health clinic or a home-collection service all work. Testing earlier feels productive but can miss a fresh infection.
Week 6

HIV blood test

A lab-based HIV test is considered reliable from about 6 weeks4. If you started PEP, you’ll be tested at 6 and 12 weeks as part of the course2.
Week 6 to 12

Syphilis test, and the all-clear

Syphilis takes the longest to show, from about 6 weeks with full confidence by 12. A final check here closes the book on the whole event.
Emergency contraception

Your three options, compared

Levonorgestrel pill (the classic “morning-after pill”) Licensed to 72 hrs About 85% effective, best taken early. Over the counter at any pharmacy. Better Health notes it can be taken to 96 hours with reducing effect1.
Ulipristal pill (EllaOne) 120 hrs (5 days) More effective than levonorgestrel, especially past 72 hours. Pharmacist-only in Australia, no prescription needed1, about $305.
Copper IUD 120 hrs (5 days) More than 99% effective, the most effective option there is, and it keeps working as contraception for years1. Needs a doctor or nurse to insert, so call a family planning clinic straight away to get booked inside the window.
Weight note, worth asking the pharmacist about. Levonorgestrel may be less effective at higher body weights, and ulipristal or the copper IUD may serve you better. It’s a 30-second question at the counter, and pharmacists expect it.
Real humans, right now

If you’d rather talk it through

healthdirect, 24/7 registered nurses 1800 022 222 Free, national, and exactly for situations like this one.
NSW PEP hotline, 24/7 1800 737 669 Other states via getpep.info, which lists every local pathway.
Family planning clinics in your state Every state has one Family Planning Australia (NSW), Sexual Health Victoria, True (QLD), SHINE SA, Sexual Health Quarters (WA), Family Planning Tasmania, Family Planning NT and SHFPACT (ACT).
Afterwards

Why condoms break, and how you make it rare

Condoms break for four preventable reasons, and almost never at random.

  • It was expired or heat-damaged. Wallets, gloveboxes and back pockets age a condom fast. Check the date and try to store them in a cool place.
  • Air was trapped at the tip. Pressure has to go somewhere. Pinch the teat as you roll it on.
  • The lube was oil-based. Oils, moisturisers and massage oils weaken latex within minutes. Only use water-based or silicone lubricant.
  • The width was wrong. If a condom is too tight, it stretches and stresses the material. If its too loose, it is easier for a condom to tear at the rim.
Check my size The 7 steps, illustrated Slipping or too tight?

Sources

  1. Better Health Channel, Emergency contraception (levonorgestrel window and ~85% effectiveness, ulipristal 120-hour window and pharmacist-only status, copper IUD as EC). betterhealth.vic.gov.au
  2. healthdirect Australia, PEP (72-hour window, where to get it, follow-up testing at 6 and 12 weeks). healthdirect.gov.au/pep
  3. getpep.info, national PEP access and state hotlines. getpep.info
  4. NSW Sexual Health Infolink, STI testing windows (chlamydia and gonorrhoea from 1 to 2 weeks, HIV from about 6 weeks). shil.nsw.gov.au
  5. EllaOne pricing from a live Australian pharmacy listing, July 2026. chemistwarehouse.com.au

Common questions

What should I do first if a condom breaks?

Stop and withdraw, and do not douche. If pregnancy is possible, emergency contraception is available over the counter at any Australian pharmacy without a prescription, and one option works up to 5 days after, per the Better Health Channel. If HIV exposure is a realistic possibility, PEP must start within 72 hours.

Why do condoms break?

Usually a fit that is wrong, oil based lubricant used with latex, air left trapped in the tip, or the packet being torn open with teeth or nails. Age and heat do the rest. Almost every cause is avoidable.

How soon can I get tested?

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests become reliable from about 1 to 2 weeks after exposure, and HIV from about 6 weeks, per NSW Sexual Health Infolink. Testing the next day feels productive but can miss a fresh infection.

Does a broken condom always mean a problem?

No. It means two clocks are running, one for emergency contraception and one for PEP, and both have generous windows. Most of the time nothing comes of it, and the sensible move is to act on the timeline rather than the panic.

Make the next one boring.

Handled today? Good. A condom that fits, stored properly and used with the right lube almost never breaks. That's a one-measurement fix.

Find my size Check expiry and storage