World Contraception Day: Contraception – Your Body, Your Choice
Ahead of World Contraception Day (26 September), the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding everyone of the importance of contraception. With many free contraception options available across Northern Ireland, the PHA is encouraging people to visit its sexual health website at www.sexualhealthni.info to find out more about what might work for you and where you can access it.
Frances Dowds, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager at the PHA, said: “We want to support women to recognise that when it comes to contraception, it’s your body and your choice. The beliefs we hold on contraception are naturally based on personal experience, and often on the experience of family or friends. However, we now live in an age where we can be bombarded by information from a variety of sources including social media. To support you in making an informed choice we would encourage you to check that the source of information is reliable and factual.
“Personal experience is really important in helping us all make choices and sometimes our bodies don’t agree with the method chosen. Do remember that where this is the case there are many different contraception options and accessing them has never been easier.
“The Sexual Health NI website contains a host of factual information to help you choose the right method for you, to take control of your fertility and your body. The choice you make isn’t forever and you can always consider trying a different form of contraception in the future.
“So, whether you are looking for alternative contraception or it’s your first-time doing so, the PHA’s sexual health website www.sexualhealthni.info is a good place to start.”
Contraception is available for free across Northern Ireland from a range of sources:
- Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinics – these provide the full range of free contraception, a list of which can be found at www.sexualhealthni.info/contraception
- SH:24 – this is a service that allows women and girls aged 16 and over to order free contraceptives online and have them delivered discreetly to their door. Find out more at www.sh24.org.uk
- GPs – your local general practitioner can provide advice and a range of free contraception.
- Common Youth – an organisation that provides a range of free contraception and free sexual health and wellbeing services for people aged under 25. Find out more at www.commonyouth.com
- C-Card scheme – this initiative is aimed at people aged 16-25 and provides access to free condoms and lubricants, as well as one-to-one advice about sexual health. Find out more at www.pha.site/C-CardInfo
- Community pharmacies – Emergency Hormonal Contraception, often known as ‘the morning after pill’, is also available free of charge through most community pharmacies in Northern Ireland. Find a pharmacy near you at www.pha.site/PharmacyFirstMap
Frances continued: “Contraception is everyone’s responsibility and different types of contraception work for different people at different times of their lives.
“The most effective types of contraceptives we have are the contraceptive implant and contraceptive coil. These can be accessed in sexual and reproductive health clinics across Northern Ireland, as well as through many GP practices.
“It’s also important to remember that although contraceptive pills, implants and coils can prevent unplanned pregnancies, they don’t protect against STIs, so condoms are still important, especially with new sexual partners. Condoms – when used correctly, are the only form of contraception that can protect against both unplanned pregnancy and STIs.”
More information on looking after your sexual health and contraceptive services can be found at www.sexualhealthni.info