Contraception
Almost 3.1 million women (9 in 10) in England who received contraception from the GP or pharmacies in 2017-18, took either the combined or progesterone only pill.
Condoms may be the only way to effectively protect against STI’s, but there are alternative forms of contraceptives each having their own pro’s and con’s9.
See the table below which highlights some (but not all) of the key pros and cons for 13 forms of contraception:
| Method | % Effective | Pro's | Con's |
| Contraceptive Implant | 99.9% |
3 year contraception Can be removed at any time |
Initial tenderness around implant Irregularity of periods in 1st year Effectiveness affected by some medications |
| Intrauterine System (IUS) | 99.8% |
5 years contraception Can be removed at any time |
Unpredictable bleeding in 1st few months Effectiveness affected by some medications |
| Intrauterine Device (IUD) | 99.2% |
Up to 10 years contraception Can be removed at any time |
Painful heavy periods - often improve after a few months Effectiveness affected by some medications |
| Contraceptive Injection | 94% |
13 weeks contraception Isn't affected by other medicines |
Unpredictable bleeding Takes 12 weeks to leave the body if side effects do occur |
| Combined Pill | 91% | Often makes periods regular and less painful |
Needs to be take regularly to maintain effectiveness Affected by sickness and diarrhoea Effectiveness may be affected by other medicines Potentially serious health risks and side effects |
| Progesterone only Pill | 91% | Useful if unable to take oestrogen | Same as combined pill |
| Contraceptive Patch | 91% | Only needs to be applied weekly | Can fall off without noticing |
| Vaginal Ring | 91% | Not affected by sickness |
May fall out during sexual intercourse or bowel straining Can cause vaginal irritation |
|
Diaphragm |
88% | Non hormonal method - so no potential serious health risks or side effects |
Needs to be inserted before sex Need to learn how to insert correctly |
| Male Condom | 82% |
Protects against STI's Non-hormonal method |
Interrupts sex Can split |
| Female Condom | 79% |
Protects against STI's Non-hormonal method |
Can slip and be pushed out of place |
| Withdrawal | 78% | No use of products |
Sperm can leak out before ejaculation |
| Fertility Awareness | 76% | No use of products |
Natural signs may be affected during fever, infections, after childbirth Difficult method to learn accurately |
It is important for people to be given the correct information and advice on each contraceptive, to enable them to confidently make informed decisions on what’s right for them.
With the effectiveness of oral contraceptives and the barrier methods depending on correct use every day or when having sex, the use of the Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs* (no.1 to 4)) is increasing, as they don’t rely on the correct daily usage or during sex.
Prescriptions for emergency contraceptives continues to fall, as awareness of its availability to purchase through pharmacy increases.
It has been estimated that for every £1 invested in contraceptive services £11 is saved through the prevention of unwanted pregnancies6.