Hormonal Methods

If you are in a secure, stable relationship and you know FOR SURE that your partner does not have any sexually transmitted diseases, you may want to consider the hormonal methods of contraception on offer. The basic principle of these methods is that they release synthetically made hormones into your body to make it highly unlikely for you to get pregnant. None of these methods protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

The Pill is one of the best known contraceptive options. There are two versions: the combined pill (contains oestrogen and progestogen) and the mini pill (contains progestogen only). The hormones they contain stop your ovaries releasing an egg, (ovulation), thicken the mucus from your cervix to make it difficult for sperm to reach an egg, and make the lining of your womb thinner so it is less likely to accept a fertilised egg. The mini pill is reckoned to be 99% effective (one woman using this method will get pregnant out of a hundred each year), while the combined pill over 99% effective if used according to instructions.

Injections are a newer form of hormonal contraception. Typically you go to your GP every 3 months and have hormones injected into a muscle. These then slowly release over the following weeks. Depo-Provera is the most commonly used contraceptive injection. It protects you against pregnancy for 12 weeks. The other injection, Noristerat, gives contraceptive protection for 8 weeks. They are both more than 99% effective.
Implants are small flexible tubes placed under the skin of your upper arm that release hormones over a number of years. There are two main types of implant, Implanon and Norplant, although Norplan is no longer available in the UK. Implanon is a very small, flexible tube and works for three years and is more than 99% effective.

Intrauterine Systems (IUS) - an IUS is a small T-shaped plastic device which contains hormones. A trained doctor or nurse will put it into your womb. It then slowly releases hormones for up to five years and is more than 99% effective.

For more information on these and other methods of contraception we recommend visiting the website of the Family Planning Association at http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/contracep/index.htm

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