• You can also view Your guide to contraception as a PDF.
• Our contraception booklets can be purchased in the publications and resources section.

Introduction

There are many different contraceptive methods available. This leaflet shows most of the available methods, explains how they work, how effective they are and the main advantages and disadvantages. The figures quoted in this leaflet for how well each method works are based on extensive independent research.

Contraception needs to be used until the menopause. That is, until a woman has not had a period or any bleeding for two years if aged under 50, and for one year if over 50.

Contraception is divided into two types:

• Methods with no user failure – these do not depend on you remembering to take or use them.
• Methods with user failure – these are methods you have to think about regularly or each time you have sex. You must use them according to instructions.

How do I choose which method to use?

There are so many methods of contraception to choose from it is worth taking the time to find out more about each one so that you can choose contraception that suits you. There are two methods of contraception specifically for men – the male condom and male sterilisation – and 13 for women. You can find more detailed information about each method on www.fpa.org.uk. You can also talk through the different methods with a doctor or nurse or call the FPA helpline.

Some of the things you might want to think about are:

• whether you (or a partner) want to become pregnant fairly soon, many years away or not at all
• how you (and a partner) want contraception to fit your lifestyle
• whether you (or a partner) want to use the method every day, every time you have sex or less often.

Your answers should influence your decision about what contraception to use. They will also change over the years as your lifestyle and relationships do.

Is contraception free and where can I go to get it?

You can obtain free contraception, including emergency contraception, from:

• a general practice, unless they say they don’t provide contraception services
• a contraception clinic or a sexual health clinic
• a young people’s service (these will have an upper age limit)
• some genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics.
• You can also get free emergency contraception from:
  most NHS walk-in centres (England only) and minor injuries units
  some hospital accident and emergency departments (phone first to check)
• some pharmacies (there may be an age limit).

If you are 16 or over you can buy the emergency pill from most pharmacies. They also sell condoms, diaphragms, caps and spermicide.

How can I find a contraception service?

You can:

• Find out about all sexual health services from sexual health direct, run by FPA.
• Get details of general practices and pharmacies in England at www.nhs.uk and in Wales at www.wales.nhs.uk. In Scotland you can find details of general practices at www.show.scot.nhs.uk. In England and Wales you can also call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 and in Scotland NHS 24 on 0845 4 24 24 24. In Northern Ireland call the FPA helpline on 0845 122 8687 or for details of general practices see www.n-i.nhs.uk.
• Get details of your nearest contraception, GUM or sexual health clinic from a telephone directory, health centre, local pharmacy, hospital, midwife, health visitor or advice centre.
• Get details of GUM or sexual health clinics from the Sexual Health Line on 0800 567 123 or at www.condomessentialwear.co.uk.
• Find details of young people’s services from Brook on 0808 802 1234 or Sexwise on 0800 28 29 30 or at www.ruthinking.co.uk.

What is emergency contraception?

If you have had unprotected sex, that is, sex without using contraception, or think your contraception might have failed, you can use emergency contraception. There are two methods of emergency contraception:

• hormonal emergency contraception (known as the emergency contraceptive pill or emergency pill), and
• the copper intrauterine device (IUD).

If you act quickly, emergency contraception will usually prevent pregnancy.

The emergency contraceptive pill

The emergency contraceptive pill is a tablet containing the hormone progestogen. It must be taken within three days (72 hours) of having unprotected sex.

How does the emergency pill work?

It is most likely to stop or delay the release of an egg. It may also stop a fertilised egg settling (implanting) in the uterus.

How effective is the emergency pill?

It is very effective and is more effective the sooner it is taken after sex. Of the pregnancies that could be expected to have occurred if no emergency contraception had been used, the emergency pill will prevent:

• up to 95 per cent if taken within 24 hours
• up to 85 per cent if taken between 25–48 hours
• up to 58 per cent if taken between 49–72 hours.

The copper IUD

If used as emergency contraception the IUD can be fitted up to five days after unprotected sex or up to five days after the earliest time an egg could have been released.

How does the IUD work?

It may stop an egg being fertilised or implanting.

How effective is a copper IUD?

The IUD is the most effective method of emergency contraception. It will prevent up to 99 per cent of pregnancies expected to occur if no emergency contraception had been used.

Can I use breastfeeding as a form of contraception?

Breastfeeding can be up to 98 per cent effective in preventing pregnancy if:

• you are fully breastfeeding – this means you are not giving your baby any other liquid or solid food or
• you are nearly fully breastfeeding – this means mainly breastfeeding your baby and infrequently giving your baby other liquids and
• your baby is less than six months old and
• you have no periods.

Some facts about avoiding pregnancy

A woman can still get pregnant:

• if it is the first time she has sex
• if she does not have an orgasm
• if a man pulls out of her vagina before he comes
• is she has sex when she has a period
• if she douches (squirts fluid into the vagina). This can be harmful to women
• whatever position the couple has sex in.

What if I become pregnant?

No method of contraception is perfect. If you think you could be pregnant, do a pregnancy test as soon as possible. You can do a test from the first day of a missed period – before this time the level of pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) may be too low to show up on a test and you may get a negative result even though you are pregnant. If you don’t know when your next period is due, the earliest time to do a test is 21 days after unprotected sex.

If you are pregnant you need to think about what you want to do. You can choose to:

• continue with the pregnancy and keep the baby
• end the pregnancy by having an abortion
• continue with the pregnancy and have the baby adopted.

You can also get help and information from FPA (see the FPA booklet Pregnant and don’t know what to do?)

Sexually transmitted infections

Most methods of contraception do not protect you from sexually transmitted infections. Male and female condoms, when used correctly and consistently, can help protect against sexually transmitted infections. Diaphragms and caps may also offer some protection. If you can, avoid using condoms containing Nonoxinol 9 (spermicidally lubricated) as this does not protect against HIV and may even increase the risk of infection.

Where can I get more information and advice?

Find out where to get more information and advice.