Welcome

Contraception - from 'no' to the morning after

By The Healthy Women Team

Click star to rate:

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• (180 ratings)

 

0 comments

A sex life beyond the pill or condoms?

According to statistics² women prefer to pop the pill over and above any other method of contraception. It's free, it's easy, and if you have a good memory, it's very reliable – around 99% effective if you use it properly.

Some women can't take the combined contraceptive pill, and switch to the progestogen only pill, which may lead to problems if time keeping isn't your forte. The combined pill usually has a window of 12 hours, so a lie-in doesn't mean that you're not protected, and time differences when you're travelling aren't usually an issue. However, the progestogen only pill is more strict, some brands often have a window of three hours or less, and should ideally be taken at the same time every day. Always check the rules for your brand, as they are all different.

Other reasons for pill failure include being sick or having an upset tummy after taking it, which can stop the hormones being absorbed. Also some women don't know that taking antibiotics can lead to the pill not being as effective.

Condoms are easy to use, and used by around 24% of couples³ – but surprisingly not always used properly. And, let's face it, they do get in the way and they aren't exactly romantic. It's easy to jettison the rubber and throw caution to the wind once you're in a long term relationship, but you shouldn't just go contraceptive-less or you could end up with more to worry about than whether you have enough of them left for the weekend...

What else is there?

Believe it or not, your options are not just limited to these two favourites. Contraception can broadly be split into three categories:

• Hormonal
• Barrier
• Natural

The range of hormonal options goes from short term options like the pill, to long term and reversible types like the intrauterine system (IUS) or contraceptive injection.

Barrier contraceptives include male and female condoms, and the diaphragm.

Natural methods can be hard work, rely on constant monitoring of your cycle and physical signs of ovulation, and should only be considered by women in long term stable relationships as a slight miscalculation can lead to a very big 'oops'.

continue...