Westbury Primary Care Centre: Articles page

	Contraception and sexual health services at the Westbury on Trym Practice	3/7/2006

The Practice offers a full range of contraceptive options.

Who does what?

All doctors and Hayley Ford our nurse practitioner, can discuss your contraceptive choices, start pills and injections, and provide emergency contraception. Practice nurses can do routine pill checks and give depo provera injections for women already using those methods. Dr Morgan and Dr McCarthy fit coils.

All doctors can check and remove coils (single appointment). Dr Morgan fits and removes implants.

Different methods, and the best time for appointments

Combined pill

An information leaflet on the combined pill

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/Combined%20pill.pdf

Progesterone only pill

An information leaflet on the progesterone only pill

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/POP.pdf

For the IUS, Mirena, (hormonal coil) fittings the best time for a fitting is at the end of a period. Fittings can only be done at other times if there is no risk of pregnancy, ie

A reliable method of contraception is already being used (pills, injection or implant). Condoms do not count.
There is no chance of pregnancy – if there has been no sexual intercourse since the last menstrual period.

A double appointment is needed for a fitting.

An information leaflet on the IUS

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/IUS.pdf

For IUDs (copper coils) again the best time for a fitting is at the end of a period.

Fittings can also be done up until 5 days after the calculated ovulation date (so during the first half of your cycle). A double appointment is needed for a fitting.

An information leaflet on the IUD

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/IUD.pdf

Implants can be fitted

At any time during your period
At any time if a reliable method of contraception is already being used (pills, injection or implant). Condoms do not count.

A double appointment is needed for a fitting.

An information leaflet on the implant

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/Implants.pdf

Appointments for the first depo-provera injection

At any time during your period

First injections can, in general, only be done at other times if there is no risk of pregnancy, ie

A reliable method of contraception is already being used (pills, injection or implant). Condoms do not count.
There is no chance of pregnancy – if there has been no sexual intercourse since the last menstrual period.

An information leaflet on the depo-provera injection

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/Contra%20PDFs/Injections.pdf

Emergency contraception can be in the form of pills or an emergency copper coil.

Pills are best taken as soon as possible after intercourse and can also be obtained from local pharmacies, walk in centres, contraception clinics and the Brook young people’s clinic

Emergency coils can be fitted up to 5 days after intercourse or 5 days after the calculated ovulation date.

An information leaflet on emergency contraception

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/emergncy/index.htm

For further information see www.fpa.org.uk

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

STIs are very common, especially in the under 25s. Many STIs are silent infections and may not show any symptoms, so routine testing, for example, at the start of a new relationship, is advised.

There are some really good new tests for STIs, which can be done by men and women themselves rather than needing to have an examination.

Men provide a urine sample (it is important that you have not passed urine for 2 hours before you provide your sample). This can then be sent to the lab to check for Chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

Women can do a self taken vaginal swab which can then be sent to the lab to check for Chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

If you would like to have a check-up please see one of the practice nurses. If you have any symptoms that concern you please see one of the doctors or Hayley Ford.

An information leaflet on chlamydia

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/Chlamydia.pdf

An information leaflet on genital herpes

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/Genitalherpes.pdf

An information leaflet on genital warts

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/Genitalwarts.pdf

An information leaflet on gonorrhoea

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/Gonorrhoea.pdf

An information leaflet on HIV

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/HIV.pdf

An information leaflet on thrush and BV (bacterial vaginosis) – not sexually transmitted, but very common

http://www.fpa.org.uk/guide/STI%20PDFs/Vinfections.pdf