FAQs

STIs are infections which are spread from person to person during sex – including oral sex and anal sex.

Injection drug use, tattooing or body piercing can also spread an infection if the needles and equipment aren’t clean. An STI can sometimes be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, at the time of delivery and through the process of breastfeeding.

STIs can infect you in many ways. They can be caused by bacteria. They can be viruses. They can even come in the form of parasites like pubic lice. STIs are found on the body, in blood and in body fluids like semen and vaginal fluids. Sometimes, STIs like genital warts and herpes can be spread through skin-to-skin contact.

Most STIs can be cured, but some will never go away and may require lifelong treatment.

Yes, PrEP is available for free on the NHS to at-risk patients through Umbrella clinics.

To date, there have been variable results in some groups of people. Evidence of effectiveness is strongest for men who have sex without a condom with multiple male partners.

Many medicines can have side-effects, so taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has to be a considered decision.

The drugs in PrEP have been used as part of HIV treatment for many years. Evidence has shown that they have a low risk of serious side effects. Most people taking PrEP do not report side effects. Some people have nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches and tiredness during the first month but these usually go away. Rarely, kidney or liver function may be affected by PrEP.

People taking PrEP have regular check-ups at a clinic, where they will be tested to ensure any side effects are assessed.

For information on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection, please our PrEP information pages.

Alcohol and drugs are not an excuse – or an alibi. The key question is still did you consent or not?

Regardless of whether you were drunk or sober, if the sex is non-consensual, it is rape.

If you were unable to give consent because of the effects of alcohol or drugs, but somebody had sex with you anyway, that is rape and it is not your fault.

Rape can happen when the victim was unconscious or asleep. If somebody had sex with you while you were asleep or unconscious, then you didn’t give consent. And if you didn’t give consent, then it was rape.

It doesn’t matter whether the other person is your husband, a current boyfriend, an ex-boyfriend, a friend or a complete stranger, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex in the past. If you didn’t give consent this time, it was rape.

Information on where to get help is available on our rape and sexual assault page.

We hear “just say no” a lot but in reality we all communicate our “no” in different ways every day.

You may not say “no” because it doesn’t feel safe to say it, or because you don’t feel comfortable.

The other person is responsible for checking in with you and making sure you are OK.

However you communicate your “no”, if it is ignored, that means you have not given your consent. Sex without consent is rape, and it’s not your fault.

If you don’t remember what happened, it means you were not in a position to give consent to having sex. Sex without consent is rape.

Memory loss can result from the ingestion of GHB and other “rape drugs”, or from excessive alcohol consumption.

What happened isn’t your fault, and you have the right to access support. You can contact the National Rape Crisis Helpline or the Rape and Sexual Violence Project for support and guidance.

Freezing, or not reacting physically, is a really common response to sexual violence. People respond to an assault in different ways.

Just because you didn’t resist physically doesn’t mean it wasn’t rape – in fact, many victims make the good judgment that physical resistance would cause the attacker to become more violent. Lack of consent can be express (saying “no”) or it can be implied from the circumstances (for example, if you were under the legal age of consent, or if you had a mental incapacity, or if you were afraid to object because the perpetrator threatened you with serious physical injury).

Although it can feel as though your body has let you down, it has done what it can to keep you safe. Sexual violence against you is never your fault.

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 to over-16s. 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 16 and would like to discuss contraception or any other sexual health issue, please make an appointment to speak to a member of staff.

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. (This could be oral or anal sex between two men, or oral, anal or vaginal sex between a man and a woman.)

Sex without using any contraception can put you at risk of pregnancy at any time during the menstrual cycle. You can use emergency contraception up to five days after unprotected sex. Emergency contraception is more effective at preventing pregnancy the earlier it is used (but it does not protect against STIs).

If you are taking the combined pill and miss a 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. It is recommended that you use a barrier method of contraceptive, such as a condom, for the next seven days as an extra precaution.

As the mini pill contains only progestogen, the importance of taking the pill on time is much greater, as contraceptive effectiveness will be lost quicker. If you’ve missed a pill, you will need to use a barrier method of contraception for two days.

With both the combined pill and the mini pill, starting a new course of pills late will greatly reduce your contraceptive protection, and you will therefore have to use barrier contraceptives.

If you forget to replace your patch or ring you should apply or insert a new one immediately and use a barrier contraceptive, such as a condom, for seven days afterwards.

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
• intrauterine system (IUS) (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.

The short answer is yes, though breastfeeding will determine the type of contraception that you will be able to use. The mini pill and the contraception injection can be used as they both contain progestogen only.

If you are breastfeeding you will not be able to use combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, the ring or the implant, due to the risk of the oestrogen hormone from these affecting the breast milk.

There has been evidence to suggest that 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.

No. HIV diagnostic tests cannot determine who passed the infection to who.

In general no. A skilled healthcare provider can generally estimate how long you have been infected by looking at the levels of virus in your body (your T-cell count) and whether or not you have had any opportunistic infections.

If you are currently suffering from symptoms of acute HIV infection, a healthcare provider can usually conclude that infection occurred within the past few weeks.

If it’s been less than 72 hours since the condom broke, you may be able to take medication that could prevent you from getting infected with HIV, even if your partner is HIV-positive. This medication is called post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE).

If it’s been longer than 72 hours, PEPSE will not protect you from HIV, and you will need to explore HIV testing options. In most cases, you will have to wait at least 2 weeks after possible exposure to infection before an HIV test can provide accurate results.

If you think you have put yourself at risk of HIV, you should seek medical advice and get tested. The earlier HIV is diagnosed, the earlier you can start treatment and avoid becoming ill. However, it may be two weeks or more after exposure to HIV before a test provides accurate results.

If you’ve had sex with somebody who may be HIV positive, you can reduce your chances of HIV infection by taking post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure (PEPSE) within 72 hours of exposure to the virus.

Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing HIV. Research on the effectiveness of latex condoms in preventing HIV transmission is both comprehensive and conclusive.

Abstinence from sex means not engaging in any form of sexual activity where there is a risk of exchanging fluids (semen, vaginal fluids, rectal mucous). This includes anal, oral, and vaginal sex.

No. Being diagnosed with HIV does not mean a person will also be diagnosed with AIDS. Healthcare professionals diagnose AIDS only when people with HIV disease begin to get severe opportunistic infections (OI), or their T-cell counts fall below a certain level.

HIV is found only in body fluids, so you cannot get HIV by shaking someone’s hand or giving them a hug (or by using the same toilet or towel). While low levels of HIV can be found in saliva, sharing cups or utensils has never been shown to transmit HIV.

No, you can’t get HIV from kissing someone who has HIV.

No, HIV does not survive outside the body and fluids like sweat and saliva that are typically secreted during these activities have never been shown to transmit HIV.

No, Insects can not transmit HIV. Research has shown that HIV does not replicate or survive well in insects. In addition, blood-eating insects digest their food and do not inject blood from the last person they bite into the next person.

While complications from HIV infection remain a possibility, current treatments and medications are giving people with HIV a positive prognosis and normal life-span. This makes patients living with HIV vulnerable to the same health conditions that affect all people as they age. This is why it is important to maintain good health throughout your life.

Spots could be a reaction to shaving or waxing or a reaction to a change in soap, body wash, washing powder or even the material your underwear is made from. However, they could be genital warts or molluscum contagiosum.

The only way to be certain is to contact your local Umbrella service provider and get yourself checked out.

The most common STIs are probably chlamydia, as it often has no symptoms so people don’t know they have it, and human papilloma virus (HPV – the virus that causes genital warts). Many people have HPV but only about 13% will get warts.

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is very infectious (100 times more infectious than HIV) and very easily transmitted through unprotected sex or by sharing needles to inject drugs.

If you think you might have an STI, get it checked out as soon as possible.

You can see your family doctor or contact an Umbrella clinic in your area to find out exactly what you have and how you can treat it.

To be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid having sex until you’ve been tested.

It’s not always easy to recognise the signs of an STI in you or your partner. In fact, some STIs have no symptoms at all, so you may not even know you have one unless you get tested, which is why testing is so important.

There are certain symptoms which are closely linked with STIs. If you have any of these symptoms we’d like to see you in clinic. Find out more on our symptoms page.

Vaginal discharge is perfectly normal and naturally varies in consistency throughout your menstrual cycle – and you will naturally make more when you become sexually aroused.

It is a good practice idea to be aware of what is normal for you as you move through your cycle or at times of sexual arousal so that any changes that are unusual are spotted more easily.

If you have had unprotected sex recently you may have an infection.

Unlike the fake STI testing kits which can be bought online, our self-sampling kits are genuine, completely free and available to residents of Birmingham and Solihull aged 16 or over. We do not charge a fee for sending kits, we include a pre-paid envelope for users to return their samples, and we test samples and send results without any charge to the user. (Please remember that some other suppliers do sell genuine STI kits online.)

The Umbrella service is run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), which supplies our kits.

Returned samples are tested in the laboratory at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, which is also part of UHB.

It is correct that chlamydia can lead to fertility problems. However, this is usually from having chlamydia that has been untreated for a long time.

One of the key issues with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia is that they often have no symptoms, or the symptoms go unnoticed. As a result, people often carry the infection for years without realising.

If you have been treated without any complications and have been given the all clear, it would be highly unlikely that you have been done any lasting damage if you had the infection for a short time. However, if you are experiencing continuing pain or symptoms you should contact an Umbrella service location to get checked over.

There may be a number of reasons why your period is late – including stress – but, to be safe, visit your local Umbrella service provider and ask to be tested for both STIs and pregnancy.

It’s important not to panic. Umbrella sexual health service staff are used to dealing with situations like yours and will help to put you at your ease. Speaking to our staff will also provide an opportunity to discuss and review your contraception choices.

It is unlikely that you are either pregnant or have contracted an STI if you used a condom. Occasionally, however, condoms can break. To be safe, it’s always advisable to use condoms along with a form of long-acting contraception such as the pill, implant or coil.

If you’re sexually active, it’s a good idea to get tested for STIs every year, even if you feel fine.

It’s good practice to go for testing if you’re about to start a new relationship, and for your partner to do the same.

Some STIs have no symptoms so you may not even know you have one unless you get tested.

The types of tests you’ll take will vary depending on your concerns. Our medical staff will explain what tests are going to be done and why. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

For more information on getting tested in clinic, please see our page on testing for STIs.

If you’re aged 16 or over and live in Birmingham or Solihull, you can request a free self-sampling kit. This allows you to take your own samples at home and have results sent to you for free.

Hepatitis B infection can be prevented by completing a course of the hepatitis B vaccination. Vaccination is done through a course of injections into the upper arm. In most people a full course of hepatitis B vaccination prevents infection.

Using condoms can protect against catching hepatitis B infection through having sex.

For details of who should be vaccinated against hepatitis B, please see our page on hepatitis B.

Yes. Being wet and warm, the mouth provides the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes are examples of STIs which can be caught through oral sex.

Flavoured condoms and dental dams are designed to help prevent the transmission of STIs through oral sex.

If you suspect your partner may have had an infection or if you’ve developed a sore throat after oral sex, or if you have unusual mucus/discharge in your mouth, it’s worth visiting your local Umbrella clinic.

To be perfectly safe you should always use condoms and dental dams for oral sex.

Yes, certain STIs can cause infertility if left unchecked. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea especially can cause scarring and pelvic inflammatory disease. They often have no symptoms so many people do not realise that they have them.

If you are sexually active, you should consider being tested for STIs.

In general, no – we are legally required to keep your personal information safe, and to not share this with anyone else.

However, in certain cases – for example, if we’re worried about the well-being of a patient – we may share details with other agencies to ensure people get the help they need.

No, contraception provided by Umbrella is free.

You may also be able to get some forms of contraception for free from your own GP.

For removal of contraceptive implants in Birmingham and Solihull, please visit an Umbrella clinic.

Free condoms are available from Umbrella clinics and pharmacies, and from some GPs.

All Umbrella clinics offer HIV testing.

If you’re aged 16 or over and living in Birmingham and Solihull you can also request a ​free​ STI self-sampling kit, which allows you to get tested from home.

Free condoms are available from Umbrella clinics and pharmacies, and from some GPs.

Absolutely. We’re here to help people of any age with sexual health issues.

As you’re under 16 you will need to be seen by our clinical team at one of our clinics.

You can visit our clinic in the basement of Boots in Birmingham city centre without an appointment.

Appointments and walk-ins are available at other clinics.

Please note, walk-in appointments are available on a first come, first served basis.

If you’re already pregnant, please speak to your GP as soon as possible. They can arrange for you to receive the care you need during pregnancy (this is called antenatal care).

Umbrella can only help with other issues relating to sexual health. For example, if you’re pregnant but think you may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), we can help with the infection but not your pregnancy.

There are many reasons why people can have trouble getting pregnant. Please speak to your GP, who can help you to find out if you do have a problem. Your GP will then be able to refer you for the help you need.

Umbrella can’t offer fertility treatment.

No, we don’t offer vaccinations for travel purposes. You would need to speak to your GP to arrange this.

Pregnancy tests are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets. You can do the test in private and get a quick result.

Your GP may be able to offer you a free pregnancy test. Please contact your GP to see if you’d like to see whether this is something they can provide.

Umbrella clinics offer pregnancy tests for people who are worried they might be pregnant and would like further information and advice.

We do treat genital warts. We recommend that you book an appointment so that a member of our clinical team can assess you and discuss your symptoms.

Please note that we may need to refer you to a specialist for treatment of internal genital warts.

Telephone: 0121 237 5000

Yes, but please note that availability is limited and we can’t guarantee that you’ll be seen if you arrive at clinic without booking an appointment (but if your sexual health need is urgent we will arrange for you to be seen by a doctor or nurse).

if you would rather book an appointment, you can do this using our online booking system.

Pregnancy tests are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets. You can do the test in private and get a quick result.

Your GP may be able to offer you a free pregnancy test. Please contact your GP to see if you’d like to see whether this is something they can provide.

All Umbrella clinics offer pregnancy tests for people who are worried they might be pregnant and would like further information and advice.

No, we don’t offer this service.

Some types of the contraceptive pill can help give you more control over your periods. For information on the contraceptive pill, please see our section on short-acting contraception.

Your GP is able to provide the contraceptive pill. We would recommend visiting your GP practice to get a repeat prescription.

Umbrella clinics can also prescribe contraceptive pills. However, you will need book an appointment so that one of our clinical team can assess you and discuss the best contraceptive for you.

Sorry, but we don’t offer telephone consultations at the moment.

A range of services are available from Umbrella clinics, pharmacies and GPs, so there are plenty of options for you to speak to somebody in person.

If you’re a woman aged 25 – 64 and you’re registered with a GP, you should receive a letter inviting you for a screening test. If you think your screening test is overdue, or if you’re not sure when your next test should be, please speak to your GP practice.

Yes, our online booking system allows you to cancel or rearrange appointments and to book follow-up appointments.

If you need to cancel or rearrage an appointment, please do this as soon as possible so we can offer the original appointment slot to somebody else.

To cancel or rearrange an appointment, you will need your booking reference number, and the time, date and location of the appointment.

Yes. We’re an NHS provider so, as long as you’re entitled to NHS services, you won’t be charged.

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 to over-16s. 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 16 and would like to discuss contraception or any other sexual health issue, please make an appointment to speak to a member of staff.

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. (This could be oral or anal sex between two men, or oral, anal or vaginal sex between a man and a woman.)

Sex without using any contraception can put you at risk of pregnancy at any time during the menstrual cycle. You can use emergency contraception up to five days after unprotected sex. Emergency contraception is more effective at preventing pregnancy the earlier it is used (but it does not protect against STIs).

If you are taking the combined pill and miss a 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. It is recommended that you use a barrier method of contraceptive, such as a condom, for the next seven days as an extra precaution.

As the mini pill contains only progestogen, the importance of taking the pill on time is much greater, as contraceptive effectiveness will be lost quicker. If you’ve missed a pill, you will need to use a barrier method of contraception for two days.

With both the combined pill and the mini pill, starting a new course of pills late will greatly reduce your contraceptive protection, and you will therefore have to use barrier contraceptives.

If you forget to replace your patch or ring you should apply or insert a new one immediately and use a barrier contraceptive, such as a condom, for seven days afterwards.

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
• intrauterine system (IUS) (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.

The short answer is yes, though breastfeeding will determine the type of contraception that you will be able to use. The mini pill and the contraception injection can be used as they both contain progestogen only.

If you are breastfeeding you will not be able to use combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, the ring or the implant, due to the risk of the oestrogen hormone from these affecting the breast milk.

There has been evidence to suggest that 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.

Yes, PrEP is available for free on the NHS to at-risk patients through Umbrella clinics.

To date, there have been variable results in some groups of people. Evidence of effectiveness is strongest for men who have sex without a condom with multiple male partners.

Many medicines can have side-effects, so taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has to be a considered decision.

The drugs in PrEP have been used as part of HIV treatment for many years. Evidence has shown that they have a low risk of serious side effects. Most people taking PrEP do not report side effects. Some people have nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches and tiredness during the first month but these usually go away. Rarely, kidney or liver function may be affected by PrEP.

People taking PrEP have regular check-ups at a clinic, where they will be tested to ensure any side effects are assessed.

For information on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection, please our PrEP information pages.

No. HIV diagnostic tests cannot determine who passed the infection to who.

In general no. A skilled healthcare provider can generally estimate how long you have been infected by looking at the levels of virus in your body (your T-cell count) and whether or not you have had any opportunistic infections.

If you are currently suffering from symptoms of acute HIV infection, a healthcare provider can usually conclude that infection occurred within the past few weeks.

If it’s been less than 72 hours since the condom broke, you may be able to take medication that could prevent you from getting infected with HIV, even if your partner is HIV-positive. This medication is called post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE).

If it’s been longer than 72 hours, PEPSE will not protect you from HIV, and you will need to explore HIV testing options. In most cases, you will have to wait at least 2 weeks after possible exposure to infection before an HIV test can provide accurate results.

If you think you have put yourself at risk of HIV, you should seek medical advice and get tested. The earlier HIV is diagnosed, the earlier you can start treatment and avoid becoming ill. However, it may be two weeks or more after exposure to HIV before a test provides accurate results.

If you’ve had sex with somebody who may be HIV positive, you can reduce your chances of HIV infection by taking post-exposure prophylaxis after sexual exposure (PEPSE) within 72 hours of exposure to the virus.

Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing HIV. Research on the effectiveness of latex condoms in preventing HIV transmission is both comprehensive and conclusive.

Abstinence from sex means not engaging in any form of sexual activity where there is a risk of exchanging fluids (semen, vaginal fluids, rectal mucous). This includes anal, oral, and vaginal sex.

No. Being diagnosed with HIV does not mean a person will also be diagnosed with AIDS. Healthcare professionals diagnose AIDS only when people with HIV disease begin to get severe opportunistic infections (OI), or their T-cell counts fall below a certain level.

HIV is found only in body fluids, so you cannot get HIV by shaking someone’s hand or giving them a hug (or by using the same toilet or towel). While low levels of HIV can be found in saliva, sharing cups or utensils has never been shown to transmit HIV.

No, you can’t get HIV from kissing someone who has HIV.

No, HIV does not survive outside the body and fluids like sweat and saliva that are typically secreted during these activities have never been shown to transmit HIV.

No, Insects can not transmit HIV. Research has shown that HIV does not replicate or survive well in insects. In addition, blood-eating insects digest their food and do not inject blood from the last person they bite into the next person.

While complications from HIV infection remain a possibility, current treatments and medications are giving people with HIV a positive prognosis and normal life-span. This makes patients living with HIV vulnerable to the same health conditions that affect all people as they age. This is why it is important to maintain good health throughout your life.

All Umbrella clinics offer HIV testing.

If you’re aged 16 or over and living in Birmingham and Solihull you can also request a ​free​ STI self-sampling kit, which allows you to get tested from home.

In general, no – we are legally required to keep your personal information safe, and to not share this with anyone else.

However, in certain cases – for example, if we’re worried about the well-being of a patient – we may share details with other agencies to ensure people get the help they need.

No, contraception provided by Umbrella is free.

You may also be able to get some forms of contraception for free from your own GP.

For removal of contraceptive implants in Birmingham and Solihull, please visit an Umbrella clinic.

Free condoms are available from Umbrella clinics and pharmacies, and from some GPs.

All Umbrella clinics offer HIV testing.

If you’re aged 16 or over and living in Birmingham and Solihull you can also request a ​free​ STI self-sampling kit, which allows you to get tested from home.

Free condoms are available from Umbrella clinics and pharmacies, and from some GPs.

Absolutely. We’re here to help people of any age with sexual health issues.

As you’re under 16 you will need to be seen by our clinical team at one of our clinics.

You can visit our clinic in the basement of Boots in Birmingham city centre without an appointment.

Appointments and walk-ins are available at other clinics.

Please note, walk-in appointments are available on a first come, first served basis.

If you’re already pregnant, please speak to your GP as soon as possible. They can arrange for you to receive the care you need during pregnancy (this is called antenatal care).

Umbrella can only help with other issues relating to sexual health. For example, if you’re pregnant but think you may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), we can help with the infection but not your pregnancy.

There are many reasons why people can have trouble getting pregnant. Please speak to your GP, who can help you to find out if you do have a problem. Your GP will then be able to refer you for the help you need.

Umbrella can’t offer fertility treatment.

No, we don’t offer vaccinations for travel purposes. You would need to speak to your GP to arrange this.

Pregnancy tests are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets. You can do the test in private and get a quick result.

Your GP may be able to offer you a free pregnancy test. Please contact your GP to see if you’d like to see whether this is something they can provide.

Umbrella clinics offer pregnancy tests for people who are worried they might be pregnant and would like further information and advice.

We do treat genital warts. We recommend that you book an appointment so that a member of our clinical team can assess you and discuss your symptoms.

Please note that we may need to refer you to a specialist for treatment of internal genital warts.

Telephone: 0121 237 5000

Yes, but please note that availability is limited and we can’t guarantee that you’ll be seen if you arrive at clinic without booking an appointment (but if your sexual health need is urgent we will arrange for you to be seen by a doctor or nurse).

if you would rather book an appointment, you can do this using our online booking system.

Pregnancy tests are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets. You can do the test in private and get a quick result.

Your GP may be able to offer you a free pregnancy test. Please contact your GP to see if you’d like to see whether this is something they can provide.

All Umbrella clinics offer pregnancy tests for people who are worried they might be pregnant and would like further information and advice.

No, we don’t offer this service.

Some types of the contraceptive pill can help give you more control over your periods. For information on the contraceptive pill, please see our section on short-acting contraception.

Your GP is able to provide the contraceptive pill. We would recommend visiting your GP practice to get a repeat prescription.

Umbrella clinics can also prescribe contraceptive pills. However, you will need book an appointment so that one of our clinical team can assess you and discuss the best contraceptive for you.

Sorry, but we don’t offer telephone consultations at the moment.

A range of services are available from Umbrella clinics, pharmacies and GPs, so there are plenty of options for you to speak to somebody in person.

If you’re a woman aged 25 – 64 and you’re registered with a GP, you should receive a letter inviting you for a screening test. If you think your screening test is overdue, or if you’re not sure when your next test should be, please speak to your GP practice.

Yes, our online booking system allows you to cancel or rearrange appointments and to book follow-up appointments.

If you need to cancel or rearrage an appointment, please do this as soon as possible so we can offer the original appointment slot to somebody else.

To cancel or rearrange an appointment, you will need your booking reference number, and the time, date and location of the appointment.

Yes. We’re an NHS provider so, as long as you’re entitled to NHS services, you won’t be charged.

Alcohol and drugs are not an excuse – or an alibi. The key question is still did you consent or not?

Regardless of whether you were drunk or sober, if the sex is non-consensual, it is rape.

If you were unable to give consent because of the effects of alcohol or drugs, but somebody had sex with you anyway, that is rape and it is not your fault.

Rape can happen when the victim was unconscious or asleep. If somebody had sex with you while you were asleep or unconscious, then you didn’t give consent. And if you didn’t give consent, then it was rape.

It doesn’t matter whether the other person is your husband, a current boyfriend, an ex-boyfriend, a friend or a complete stranger, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex in the past. If you didn’t give consent this time, it was rape.

Information on where to get help is available on our rape and sexual assault page.

We hear “just say no” a lot but in reality we all communicate our “no” in different ways every day.

You may not say “no” because it doesn’t feel safe to say it, or because you don’t feel comfortable.

The other person is responsible for checking in with you and making sure you are OK.

However you communicate your “no”, if it is ignored, that means you have not given your consent. Sex without consent is rape, and it’s not your fault.

If you don’t remember what happened, it means you were not in a position to give consent to having sex. Sex without consent is rape.

Memory loss can result from the ingestion of GHB and other “rape drugs”, or from excessive alcohol consumption.

What happened isn’t your fault, and you have the right to access support. You can contact the National Rape Crisis Helpline or the Rape and Sexual Violence Project for support and guidance.

Freezing, or not reacting physically, is a really common response to sexual violence. People respond to an assault in different ways.

Just because you didn’t resist physically doesn’t mean it wasn’t rape – in fact, many victims make the good judgment that physical resistance would cause the attacker to become more violent. Lack of consent can be express (saying “no”) or it can be implied from the circumstances (for example, if you were under the legal age of consent, or if you had a mental incapacity, or if you were afraid to object because the perpetrator threatened you with serious physical injury).

Although it can feel as though your body has let you down, it has done what it can to keep you safe. Sexual violence against you is never your fault.

STIs are infections which are spread from person to person during sex – including oral sex and anal sex.

Injection drug use, tattooing or body piercing can also spread an infection if the needles and equipment aren’t clean. An STI can sometimes be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, at the time of delivery and through the process of breastfeeding.

STIs can infect you in many ways. They can be caused by bacteria. They can be viruses. They can even come in the form of parasites like pubic lice. STIs are found on the body, in blood and in body fluids like semen and vaginal fluids. Sometimes, STIs like genital warts and herpes can be spread through skin-to-skin contact.

Most STIs can be cured, but some will never go away and may require lifelong treatment.

Spots could be a reaction to shaving or waxing or a reaction to a change in soap, body wash, washing powder or even the material your underwear is made from. However, they could be genital warts or molluscum contagiosum.

The only way to be certain is to contact your local Umbrella service provider and get yourself checked out.

The most common STIs are probably chlamydia, as it often has no symptoms so people don’t know they have it, and human papilloma virus (HPV – the virus that causes genital warts). Many people have HPV but only about 13% will get warts.

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is very infectious (100 times more infectious than HIV) and very easily transmitted through unprotected sex or by sharing needles to inject drugs.

If you think you might have an STI, get it checked out as soon as possible.

You can see your family doctor or contact an Umbrella clinic in your area to find out exactly what you have and how you can treat it.

To be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid having sex until you’ve been tested.

It’s not always easy to recognise the signs of an STI in you or your partner. In fact, some STIs have no symptoms at all, so you may not even know you have one unless you get tested, which is why testing is so important.

There are certain symptoms which are closely linked with STIs. If you have any of these symptoms we’d like to see you in clinic. Find out more on our symptoms page.

Vaginal discharge is perfectly normal and naturally varies in consistency throughout your menstrual cycle – and you will naturally make more when you become sexually aroused.

It is a good practice idea to be aware of what is normal for you as you move through your cycle or at times of sexual arousal so that any changes that are unusual are spotted more easily.

If you have had unprotected sex recently you may have an infection.

Unlike the fake STI testing kits which can be bought online, our self-sampling kits are genuine, completely free and available to residents of Birmingham and Solihull aged 16 or over. We do not charge a fee for sending kits, we include a pre-paid envelope for users to return their samples, and we test samples and send results without any charge to the user. (Please remember that some other suppliers do sell genuine STI kits online.)

The Umbrella service is run by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), which supplies our kits.

Returned samples are tested in the laboratory at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, which is also part of UHB.

It is correct that chlamydia can lead to fertility problems. However, this is usually from having chlamydia that has been untreated for a long time.

One of the key issues with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia is that they often have no symptoms, or the symptoms go unnoticed. As a result, people often carry the infection for years without realising.

If you have been treated without any complications and have been given the all clear, it would be highly unlikely that you have been done any lasting damage if you had the infection for a short time. However, if you are experiencing continuing pain or symptoms you should contact an Umbrella service location to get checked over.

There may be a number of reasons why your period is late – including stress – but, to be safe, visit your local Umbrella service provider and ask to be tested for both STIs and pregnancy.

It’s important not to panic. Umbrella sexual health service staff are used to dealing with situations like yours and will help to put you at your ease. Speaking to our staff will also provide an opportunity to discuss and review your contraception choices.

It is unlikely that you are either pregnant or have contracted an STI if you used a condom. Occasionally, however, condoms can break. To be safe, it’s always advisable to use condoms along with a form of long-acting contraception such as the pill, implant or coil.

If you’re sexually active, it’s a good idea to get tested for STIs every year, even if you feel fine.

It’s good practice to go for testing if you’re about to start a new relationship, and for your partner to do the same.

Some STIs have no symptoms so you may not even know you have one unless you get tested.

The types of tests you’ll take will vary depending on your concerns. Our medical staff will explain what tests are going to be done and why. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

For more information on getting tested in clinic, please see our page on testing for STIs.

If you’re aged 16 or over and live in Birmingham or Solihull, you can request a free self-sampling kit. This allows you to take your own samples at home and have results sent to you for free.

Hepatitis B infection can be prevented by completing a course of the hepatitis B vaccination. Vaccination is done through a course of injections into the upper arm. In most people a full course of hepatitis B vaccination prevents infection.

Using condoms can protect against catching hepatitis B infection through having sex.

For details of who should be vaccinated against hepatitis B, please see our page on hepatitis B.

Yes. Being wet and warm, the mouth provides the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Infections such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes are examples of STIs which can be caught through oral sex.

Flavoured condoms and dental dams are designed to help prevent the transmission of STIs through oral sex.

If you suspect your partner may have had an infection or if you’ve developed a sore throat after oral sex, or if you have unusual mucus/discharge in your mouth, it’s worth visiting your local Umbrella clinic.

To be perfectly safe you should always use condoms and dental dams for oral sex.

Yes, certain STIs can cause infertility if left unchecked. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea especially can cause scarring and pelvic inflammatory disease. They often have no symptoms so many people do not realise that they have them.

If you are sexually active, you should consider being tested for STIs.