There are 15 different methods of contraception. The type that works best for you will depend on your health and your circumstances.
There are several issues to consider when deciding which method of contraception is right for you.
Once you’ve read this information, go to your GP or local contraceptive (or family planning) clinic to discuss your choices.
And remember, the only way to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to use a condom every time you have sex. Other methods of contraception prevent pregnancy but don’t protect against STIs.
How effective are the different methods?
The list below shows how effective each of the 15 different methods is, and how often you need to use them or think about them (frequency of use).
The effectiveness of each method is worked out by calculating how many women get pregnant if 100 women use the method for a year. For example, if a particular contraceptive method is 99% effective, one woman out of every hundred who uses it will get pregnant in a year.
Some methods listed below, such as the Pill, include the term ‘if used correctly’. This is because people who use these methods have to use them every time they have sex, or remember to take or apply them every day, week or month. If the method isn’t used correctly it won’t be as effective.
* Contraceptives that are more than 99% effective:
* Contraceptive injection (renewed every three months).
* Contraceptive implant (up to three years).
* Intrauterine system, or IUS (up to five years).
* Intrauterine device, or IUD, also called the coil (up to five years).
* Female sterilisation (permanent).
* Male sterilisation (permanent).
* Contraceptives that are more than 99% effective if used correctly:
* Contraceptive patch (renewed each week for three weeks in every month).
* Vaginal ring (renewed each week for three weeks in every month).
* Combined pill (taken every day for three weeks out of every month).
* Progestogen-only pill (taken every day).
* 99% effective if used according to teaching instructions:
* Natural family planning (operates on a monthly basis).
* 98% effective if used correctly:
* Male condom (every time you have sex).
* 95% effective if used correctly:
* Female condom (every time you have sex).
* 92-96% effective if used correctly:
* Diaphragm with spermicide (every time you have sex).
* Cap with spermicide (every time you have sex).
Can you make contraception part of your daily routine?
If you’re a well-organised person with a reasonably regular routine, then you have a wide choice of contraception. This is because you’re less likely to forget about your contraception, for example forgetting to take a pill or to reapply a patch.
You may want to use a method that you only need to use when you have sex, such as the male and female condom, or you may prefer a method that you need to take every day, such as the Pill. Or you may want to consider methods such as the patch, injection or implant, which you don’t need to use every day or each time you have sex.
The list below shows how often you need to use, replace or take each contraceptive method. Once you’ve looked at the list, ask your GP, or doctor or nurse at your local clinic, for more details.
* Methods that are used each time you have sex:
* Male and female condoms.
* Diaphragm or cap.
* Methods that are taken every day:
* Pill (the combined pill or the progestogen-only pill).
* Methods that are replaced every week:
* Contraceptive patch.
* Methods that are replaced every month:
* Vaginal ring.
* Methods that are renewed every three months:
* Contraceptive injection.
* Methods that are renewed up to every three years:
* Contraceptive implant.
* Methods that are renewed up to every five years:
* Intrauterine device (IUD).
* Intrauterine system (IUS).
Ask your GP, or a doctor or nurse at your local contraceptive clinic, for more details.
You can get contraception free from:
• Most GP surgeries (including on-campus facilities)
• Community contraceptive clinics,
• Some genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics,
• Sexual health clinics (these offer contraceptive and STI testing services)
• Some young people’s services (call 0800 567123).
Many of these places also offer information, testing and treatment for STIs. If you’ve been exposed to the risk of pregnancy, you’re also at risk of catching an STI.
In addition to your chosen method of contraception, you need to use condoms to prevent STIs.
Always buy condoms that have the CE mark on the packet. This means that they’ve been tested to the high European safety standards. Condoms that don’t have the CE mark won’t meet these standards, so don’t use them.
You can also pick up condoms for free from your Students’ Union. Just pop in and ask.
If you suspect that you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) don’t panic. You simply need to get tested, then treatment can be given if it’s needed. Many people with STIs don’t get symptoms, so it’s worth getting tested even if you feel healthy.
An STI can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. You can get or pass on an STI whoever you’re having sex with.
Women can pass infections on to women, and men can pass infections on to men. For more information, see sexual health for women who have sex with women and sexual health for men who have sex with men.
Many STIs can be cured with antibiotics. Some, such as HIV, have no cure but can be treated to prevent them getting worse.
You can’t tell by looking at someone (including yourself) whether they’ve got an infection, so it’s important to get a check-up if you’ve had unprotected sex.
Symptoms
Many people don’t notice symptoms when they have an STI, including most women with chlamydia. If it’s left untreated, chlamydia can affect your ability to get pregnant. Around 50% of women and 10% of men with gonorrhoea don’t have symptoms.
If you have any of the symptoms listed below, get tested.
In women and men:
* Pain when you pass urine (pee).
* Itching, burning or tingling around the genitals.
* Blisters, sores, spots or lumps around the genitals or anus.
* Black powder or tiny white dots in your underwear (this could be droppings or eggs from pubic lice).
In women:
* Yellow or green vaginal discharge.
* Discharge that smells.
* Bleeding between periods or after sex.
* Pain during sex.
* Lower abdominal pain.
In men:
* Discharge from the penis.
* Irritation of the urethra (the tube where urine comes out).
These symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have an STI, but it’s worth seeing a doctor so that you can find out what’s causing the symptoms, and treat it. For example, it’s possible to get thrush without having sex, but it can cause STI-like symptoms, such as soreness, itching and discharge. Thrush is easily treated.
Where can I get tested?
You can get tested at:
* some GP surgeries,
* a sexual health clinic or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic,
* some community contraceptive clinics (Find contraceptive services), and
* some young people’s services (call 0800 567123).
Some pharmacies can also test for chlamydia.
Request a free home chlamydia test kit
Find your local clinic
REMEMBER: No form of contraception is 100% guaranteed to protect you from STIs or pregnancy.
Be careful and minimise the risk as much as you can by using a combination of your chosen form of contraception AND condoms.
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