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• Contraception:

Emergency Contraception

There are two types of emergency contraception:

• Emergency contraception pills (sometimes called ‘morning after’ pills). These must be started within 3 days (72 hours) from the time you had unprotected sex. They are very effective if taken within the first 24 hours.
• Emergency IUD (coil), which can be fitted up to 5 days from the time you had sex. Once it has been fitted, you can keep it as a regular method of contraception.

Where to get emergency contraception
Emergency contraception is mainly prescribed by a doctor but can sometimes be given out by a nurse or pharmacist by prior agreement with the doctor. It’s free for women of any age (including under 16s) from:

• Any GP providing contraceptive services (not just your own).
• Community Contraception Clinics (family planning clinics).
• Brook (Brook Advisory Centres) – for under 25s only.
• Some hospital Accident and Emergency Departments.
• Some sexual health (GUM) clinics.
• From some pharmacies. Some pharmacies provide free emergency contraception to women of all ages, including under 16s. You can buy it from most pharmacies if you are 16 or over.

Confidentiality
Every consultation with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist is private and they will not tell anyone else about it without your permission, even if you are under 16.

Some GP practices will supply you with a “Confidentiality Card”, which you can hand to the receptionist if you prefer not to explain what has happened.

Side effects
Side effects from emergency contraception pills are very rare. They can be used by almost all women, even those who can’t use regular contraceptive pills. A doctor, nurse or pharmacist can advise you.

More than 95% of women who take emergency contraceptive pills within the first 24 hours after having sex do not become pregnant.
If you still get pregnant, the pills won’t harm the baby.
The emergency IUD is almost 100% effective, but not suitable for all women. A doctor or nurse can tell you if it is suitable for you.

Emergency only
Emergency contraceptive pills are not intended for regular use, and like other contraceptive pills, do not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you don’t want to get pregnant, you should always use regular contraception when you have sex. Condoms offer the most effective protection against STIs and unintended pregnancies.

For more information on sexual health (including HIV), call the Sexual Health Line free (from the UK) on 0800 567 123, textphone (for people with hearing impairments) 0800 521 361 or phone your local NHS sexual health clinic.

Contact Details & Links

Name: NHS Direct Wales – Local Services
Web: Sexual Health Services Directory – http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/localservices/searchlocalservices.aspx?s=SexualHealth
Email:
Tel: 0845 46 47
Info: This section of NHS Direct provides info on a range of sexual and reproductive health clinics and services in Wales, including contact details, opening times services offered and referral arrangements. NHS Direct Wales is a health advice and information service available 24 hours a day, every day. You can call them if you are feeling ill and are unsure what to do, or for health information on a wide range of conditions, treatments and local health services.

Name: NHS Direct Wales – Health Encyclopedia
Web: Health Encyclopedia – http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/Encyclopaedia/
Email:
Tel: 0845 46 47
Info: NHS Direct Wales is a health advice and information service available 24 hours a day, every day. You can call them if you are feeling ill and are unsure what to do, or for health information on a wide range of conditions, treatments and local health services.

Name: Family Planning Association (FPA)
Web: Guide to contracpetion – http://www.fpa.org.uk/helpandadvice/contraception/guidetocontraceptionmethods
Email:
Tel: 029 20 644034
Info: The FPA is a sexual health charity in the UK. Their aim is to help establish a society in which everyone has positive, informed and non-judgemental attitudes to sex and relationships; where everyone can make informed choices about sex, relationships and reproduction so that they can enjoy sexual health free from prejudice or harm.

Name: ‘Sex – worth talking about it’ website – NHS Choices
Web: http://www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout/Pages/sex-worth-talking-about.aspx
Email:
Tel:
Info: Department of Health website with information on sex, sexual health and STIs

Name: NHS Choices
Web: Contrapection info pages – http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Contraception/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Email:
Tel: Sexual Health Line – 0800 567 123
Info: NHS Choices is the official info website of the NHS in England. It provides loads of info pages on a wide range of health issues.

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