Hampton-in-Arden Surgery provides the following Contraceptive Services:
- Contraceptive advice
- Barrier Methods
- Oral contraception with appropriate medical assessment
- Depot and implant contraception
- How to obtain an Intrauterine device (IUD)
- Access to sterilisation services
- Counselling and referral in case of unplanned pregnancy
- Advice about sexual health and referral where appropriate to specialist services
Emergency Contraception as detailed below
Emergency Contraception
Each GP practice in Solihull should have a written policy for responding to requests for emergency contraception.
Why would a person need emergency contraception? This would be necessary for a person who has had sex without using contraception, or if they believe that their contraception might have failed (unprotected sex).
If you act quickly, emergency contraception will usually prevent pregnancy.
There are two possible methods of emergency contraception:
- Emergency Pills
- A Copper Intrauterine Device (IUD) - ‘Coil’
Full details of these two methods are available on the NHS website:
Policy for Hampton Surgery – Emergency Contraception
Please phone the surgery as detailed on the main home page and say that you need an urgent appointment with the doctor or nurse for emergency contraception. The receptionist will allocate you an appointment within a few hours on the day you phone or organise for you to speak to a doctor or nurse when they are free to take telephone calls.
The emergency contraceptive pills that are available are called Levonelle-2. These pills contain a progestogen hormone which is similar to the natural progesterone women produce in their ovaries.
They need to be taken within three days (72 hours) of having unprotected sex. The sooner they are taken, the more effective they are likely to be. They come in a packet of two tablets and the two pills should be taken straight away and at the same time.
The doctor or nurse will be able to give you any advice regarding this contraception. However the following information from the Family Planning Association website is important:
Emergency contraceptive pills are very effective.
- If taken within 24 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse, they will prevent more than 9 out of 10 (95%) pregnancies expected to occur if no emergency contraception had been used.
- If taken 72 hours after unprotected sex they will prevent more than 5 out of 10 (58%) pregnancies expected to occur if no emergency contraception had been used.
Emergency pills will not protect you from pregnancy if you have further unprotected sex. The doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you information about different contraceptive choices.
The doctor, nurse or pharmacist can also advise about this medication if you have an illness or are taking any other medication.
The tablets can make a menstrual come earlier than expected or up to a week late. Also, some irregular bleeding between taking the emergency pills and getting the next period may be experienced from spotting to quite heavy bleeding. The doctor or nurse will advise you when you should see them again, eg, if you were to miss a period or you were worried that you might be pregnant.
If the surgery is closed, the answer phone provide details of how to talk to a nurse or doctor.
Also emergency contraception can be obtained free from:
- any GP who provides contraceptive services, eg, Hampton Surgery on prescription
- any family planning clinic
- any young person's clinic or Brook clinic
- most sexual health clinics
- most genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
- most NHS walk-in centres (in England only)
- some hospital Accident and emergency departments (phone first)
- some pharmacies
Out of surgery hours you can go the Walk in Centre next to Solihull Walk in Centre next to Solihull Hospital, Lode Lane, Solihull, B91 1AE. 0121 709 7711.
The Local Sexual Health & Contraception Clinic for under 25's is at Grove Road Clinic, Solihull, B91 2AQ. 0121 705 8737.
Also if you are aged 16 years or over, they tablets can also be purchased at some pharmacies.
How do the pills work? They may:
- stop an egg being released (ovulation)
- delay ovulation
- stop a fertilised egg settling in your womb (implanting).
It is also possible to use the second method of emergency contraception copper intrauterine device (IUD) in your womb up to five days after you had unprotected sex, or up to five days after the earliest time you could have released an egg (ovulation). If you need to come back to have the IUD fitted, you may be advised to take emergency pills in the meantime. This can be discussed with the doctor or nurse who will provide more information.