Student Union Campaigns: 12 Days of Christmas…Staying Safe Day 2: Contraception – Your Choices

It is important for everyone to know about contraception and the choices that are readily available; as well as knowing where to get contraception from in your area.  As we are at Hereford College of Arts, this blog will be focusing on what is available around Hereford.

We are going to look at the popular forms of contraception. I am going to start with the simple option, which is the male condom. What you may not know is that the male condom is not 100% effective; it is 98% effective if used correctly, which means 2 in every 100 women will get pregnant every year even when a condom was used. The male condom is made from a very thin Latex or Polyurthrane (plastic). This is a barrier method, as it stops sperm from entering the vagina. They are also a way to protect you from sexually transmitted infections. You will also be pleased to know that there are no serious side effects from using the male condom, but it may slip off or even split if not used correctly, or it is the wrong size. The advantages of the male condom is that they are free from Sexual Health clinics/young people’s services and GUM clinics, as well as being available to buy from most supermarkets & health stores.

Next I want to talk about a popular contraceptive method chosen by women, which is the combined pill, also referred to as (COC). This pill contains two hormones, Estrogen and Progestogen. The aim of this pill is to stop ovulation as well as thickening the cervical mucus, to prevent Sperm from reaching the egg. It also creates a thin lining over the Uterus to prevent s fertilised egg from implanting. The combined pill is over 99% effective if taken according to the instructions, which means the pill is slightly more effective than the male condom. This means that less than one in every 100 women a year will get pregnant. The bonus part to the combined pill is that it helps to regulate, lighten and reduce pain during periods. The side effects of this contraceptive method is that it can cause temporary side effects, such as headaches, nausea, mood changes and breast tenderness. Some medicines can reduce the effectiveness of the pill. It’s also really important to note that the pill will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections.

There are many other popular contraceptive options, such as; Contraceptive options, the Implant, Intrauterine System (IUS) Jaydess and Mirena, Intrauterine Device (IUD), Contraceptive Vagina Ring, Contraceptive Patch, Progestoge Only Pill (POP), Female Condom, Diaphragm/Cap with Spermicide, and the final options – which are more serious and permanent – sterilisation (Vasectomy for men and Tubal Occlusion for women).

Everyone has their own preferences, but one way to find your preferred way is to visit www.fpa.org.uk, where they have a contraception questionnaire which can help find out which contraception tool would be best for you. You can also speak to a professional at your GP surgery or local health centre to get advice and guidance, or look at the Guide to Contraception, by FPA.

To find out where you are able to get contraception from, visit the NHS website, sexual health services, where you can fine the nearest services to your postcode. We checked which is closest to College Road Campus and Folly Lane, and found the closest facilities are Gaol Street Health Centre, Boots Chemist and Chave & Jackson Pharmacy.

We hope you have learnt a little about options about contraception, and where to go to get hold of some.

Emily (Campaign Officer)