Contraception FAQs

Health workers have to keep anything you tell them private but they will usually encourage you to talk to your parent or carer. 

If a health worker thinks there is a risk to your health, safety or welfare they might need to share your information with someone else. The risk would need to be serious and the health worker would usually discuss this with you first. 

All our clinics can prescribe contraceptive pills. Please make an appointment at an Umbrella clinic and one of our sexual health experts will assess you and advise which contraceptive is right for you. 

If you’re under 25, you can attend the dedicated under 25 clinic at New Street. 

Unprotected sex usually means sex without a condom – as condoms help to protect against pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – but can mean sex without any form of contraception. 

Sex without using a condom can put you at greater risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection.  

Combined methods

If you are taking the combined pill (with oestrogen and progestogen) and miss a single pill, it is recommended that you take the missed pill as soon as possible and then take the next scheduled pill at the normal time, even if this means taking two pills at the same time. The pill will still be effective even if you had sex on the day you missed the pill.  

If you miss two or more pills, then take the most recent missed pill as soon as possible and carry on taking the pill. It will take seven days for the pill to be effective again, so you can either use condoms or avoid sex. If you have had unprotected sex from the time you have missed the pill you may need emergency contraception, please contact the Umbrella clinic or one of the Umbrella pharmacies.  

If your contraceptive patch falls off, or your ring comes out, and it has been less than 48 hours then you can apply a new patch or ring and carry on as normal without any extra protection. If it has been more than 48 hours (outside of your patch or ring free week) then apply a new patch or ring as soon as possible and avoid sex or use condoms for seven days. If you have had unprotected sex during this time you may need emergency contraception, please contact the Umbrella clinic or one of the Umbrella pharmacies.  

If you are more than two days late restarting your pill, patch, or ring after your hormone free week, use condoms or avoid sex for the first seven days (for example if you had your last pill on Monday or took your patch or ring off on Monday, you should start it the Monday of the next week, as long as you start it on Monday or Tuesday it will be effective immediately, but if you start it later than this you will need to continue for seven days before it is effective again). 

Progestogen only pill (or mini pill) 

Desogestrel progestogen only pill

If you’ve missed a pill if it is within 12 hours of when you are supposed to take it then you can take the pill and it will still be effective as contraception. For example, if you usually take your pill at breakfast at 8am and you realise you haven’t taken your pill at 3pm in the afternoon, this is within 12 hours of 8am so you can take todays pill and continue at 8am as normal the next day.  

If it has been more than 12 hours then take a pill as soon as possible and the next pill at the normal time, this may mean taking two pills in 24 hours. You should avoid sex or use condoms for two days. If you have missed two or more pills, just take the last pill and carry on taking them at the normal time. You should avoid sex or use condoms for two days. If you have had unprotected sex more than twelve hours after you were supposed to take your pill you may need emergency contraception.  

Drosperinone progestogen only pill (Slynd) 

If you miss an active pill (a white one), if it is within 24 hours of when you are supposed to take it then you can take the pill and it will still be effective as contraception. For example, if you usually take your pill at breakfast at 8am and you realise you haven’t taken your pill at 9pm in the evening, this is within 24 hours of 8am so you can take todays pill and continue at 8am as normal the next day.  

If it has been more than 24 hours since you were supposed to take the pill it will not be effective as contraception. Continue taking the pill at your normal time but use condoms or avoid sex for the next seven days. If the seven days run into your inactive pill, then skip the inactive ones and start the next packet. If you have had unprotected sex more than 24 hours after you were supposed to take your pill you may need emergency contraception.  

If you are not sure about whether you need emergency contraception, or what to do if you have missed a pill, please contact Umbrella for advice.  

There are seven different types of hormonal contraception. These include:

• the oral combined contraceptive pill (otherwise known as the pill)
• the mini-pill (also known as the progestogen-only pill)
• the contraceptive patch
• the vaginal ring
• hormonal coil (Mirena hormone coil)
• the contraceptive implant
• the contraceptive injection

Yes, Umbrella provides free contraception, including condoms.

Some forms of contraception are available for free from Umbrella pharmacies, without an appointment. Umbrella pharmacists also provide free emergency hormonal contraception (commonly known as “the morning after pill”).

You may also be able to get contraception, including emergency contraception, from your GP.

You can get free contraception and emergency contraception from Umbrella clinics.

You can get the emergency contraceptive pill for free from most NHS walk-in centres (England only) and minor injuries units, and from some hospital accident and emergency departments (phone first to check).

If you are 16 or over you can buy the emergency contraceptive pill from most pharmacies.

You can visit one of our Umbrella contraception service providers for a consultation with a specialist who will discuss all your options with you and, where possible, provide you with your chosen method during your visit.

Our website also has lots of information about contraception and can help you find the right service.

The emergency contraceptive pill is a tablet containing a hormone called progestogen. The emergency contraceptive pill can stop an egg being released or sometimes it can stop the egg being fertilised or implanted.

There are two types of emergency contraceptive pill:

• Levonorgestrel, which must be taken within three days (72 hours) of unprotected sex
• ellaOne, which must be taken within five days (120 hours) of unprotected sex

Levonorgestrel is available for free from Umbrella clinics, with a prescription from a pharmacy, or to buy from a pharmacy.

ellaOne is available free from Umbrella clinics or with a prescription from a pharmacy.

Hormonal contraceptives work in three ways to alter your monthly cycle in order to prevent pregnancy. They primarily work by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg, therefore preventing ovulation. They also thicken the mucus at the neck of the womb (the cervix). Finally, hormonal contraceptives stop the lining of the womb from growing, therefore preventing the egg and the sperm from meeting.

Generally, no. Many women may become more keen on sex because they know the pill is giving them excellent protection against unwanted pregnancy.

A very small number of women do say that the pill reduces their libido. In such cases it may be worth talking to your doctor or sexual health advisor about changing to another brand.

No. If you are under 16 you can get confidential advice and contraception. Health workers (nurses, doctors and pharmacists) work under very specific guidance with this age group. You must be mature enough to understand the advice and any decisions made about giving you contraception.

As with all medications, there may be some side effects when taking hormonal contraceptives, though those that do occur will usually be mild and temporary.

The possibility of side effects will depend on which hormonal contraceptive you are using and will differ from person to person. You may need to try more than one type of hormonal contraceptive to determine which is best suited to you.

Yes, most methods of contraception are safe to use whilst breastfeeding and after having a baby. It is possible to get pregnant three weeks after birth, so you can start contraception within this time to be protected immediately.  

The progestogen only pill and the contraceptive implant can be safely started anytime after childbirth and do not affect breastfeeding. The contraceptive injection can be safely started anytime after childbirth but you may need to wait until six weeks after birth if you have had a C-section, or have extra risk factors for having a blood clot. The combined methods (combined pill, patch, or ring) are not recommended in the first six weeks but can be used after six weeks. 

The copper coil and the hormonal coil can both be fitted from four weeks after birth. This is because it is recommended to wait until the womb is back to a normal size before fitting.  

Sometimes breastfeeding alone can act as a form of contraception, although this will depend on a number of circumstances such as how long you have been breastfeeding and if your normal monthly cycle has resumed. However, most doctors will generally recommend that you use additional contraception to ensure you are protected.