Contraception & Family Planning

Contraception

Contraception is free for most people in the UK. With 15 methods to choose from, you’ll find one that suits you.

Contraceptive methods allow you to choose if and when you want to have a baby, but they don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help to protect against STIs and pregnancy, so whatever other method of contraception you’re using to prevent pregnancy, use condoms as well to protect your and your partner’s health.

Where To Get It

Contraceptive services are free and confidential, including to people under 16 as long as they are mature enough to understand the information and decisions involved. There are strict guidelines to for care professionals who work with people under 16.

You can get contraception free from:

  • Most GP surgeries (talk to your GP or practice nurse).
  • Community contraceptive clinics.
  • Some genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics.
  • Sexual health clinics (these offer contraceptive and STI testing services).
  • Some young people’s services (call 0800 567123).

To find your nearest contraception clinic you can use the NHS Choices service search. Enter your postcode, click ‘search’, then click ‘contraception’.

Many of these places also offer information, testing and treatment for STIs. If you’ve been exposed to the risk of pregnancy, you’re also at risk of catching an STI.

Before you make an appointment, make sure you’re as informed as possible about the contraceptive options available. People’s choice of contraception may vary over time, depending on their lifestyle and circumstances.

Contraception and Menopause

Women who have sex with men and don’t want to get pregnant need to keep using contraception until they haven’t had a period for more than 12 months (menopause).

This is because periods can become irregular before they stop entirely, and pregnancy can still occur during this time. Find out more about menopause.

Contraception Methods

There are lots of methods to choose from, so don’t be put off if the first thing you use isn’t quite right for you; you can try another. You can read about each of the different methods of contraception by visiting these pages:

There are two permanent methods of contraception:

To find your nearest contraception clinic you can use the NHS Choices service search. Enter your postcode, click ‘search’, then click ‘contraception’.

In addition to your chosen method of contraception, you need to use condoms to prevent STIs. Always buy condoms that have the CE mark on the packet. This means that they’ve been tested to the high European safety standards. Condoms that don’t have the CE mark won’t meet these standards, so don’t use them.

Emergency Contraception

The morning after pill is available at any surgery and can be obtained after hours by contacting the on-call doctor.

Family Planning

Antenatal Clinic

When you find out you’re pregnant, you will need to book your first appointment with one of our midwives. This is called your booking appointment.

To book your appointment, please visit the Your first midwife appointment page on the NHS Gloucestershire Hospitals website.

Pregnancy and Baby Guide

Your NHS guide to parenting in the early years.

Whether your child is a newborn, a toddler or a pre-schooler, this guide is for you. It has 150 pages of NHS-accredited information, videos and interactive tools to help you through the parenting process.

They answer all your questions, from how to soothe a crying baby to how to prepare your child for school. Learn how to spot the signs of serious illness, how to cope if an accident happens, and how to check your child’s development.

And they haven’t forgotten about you: as a parent or carer, your well being is crucial too. The guide covers all you need to know about your health after having a baby, as well as your rights, benefits and NHS services.

Child Vaccinations

One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine childhood vaccinations. It’s the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.

Ideally, kids should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.

Vaccination Checklist

Here’s a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them.

2 months:

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib, a bacterial infection that can cause severe pneumonia or meningitis in young children) given as a 5-in-1 single jab known as DTaP/IPV/Hib
  • Pneumococcal
  • Rotavirus
  • Men B

3 months:

  • 5-in-1, second dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
  • Meningitis C
  • Rotavirus

4 months: 

  • 5-in-1, third dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib)
  • Pneumococcal, second dose
  • Men B

Between 12 and 13 months:

  • Meningitis C, second dose and
  • Hib, fourth dose (Hib/MenC given as a single jab)
  • MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), given as a single jab
  • Pneumococcal, third dose
  • Men B

2, 3 and 4 years old

  • Influenza

3 years and 4 months, or soon after: 

  • MMR second jab
  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (DtaP/IPV), given as a 4-in-1 pre-school booster

Girls aged 12-13 years: 

  • Cervical cancer (HPV) vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer (girls only): three jabs given within six months. This course of immunisations is usually given at school.

Around 14 years: 

  • Diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster (Td/IPV), given as a single jab usually given at school.
  • Men ACWY

65 and over: 

  • Flu (every year)
  • Pneumococcal

70 and 79 years old

  • Shingles