Here at Bridge Cottage Surgery, we are able to provide a full range of contraceptive services to women and couples of all ages. We have GP’s and Nurses who have a special interest & training in the subject, which enables them to provide confidential, safe and up to date support & advice.

If you would like to discuss contraceptive choices, we advise that you book an appointment to speak to one of our clinicians. In the first instance, you can book to see one of our Nurses, who can advise, assess and initiate most methods of contraception.

Methods available within the surgery include: the Combined Oral Contraceptive (the ‘pill’), the Progesterone Only Pill, Depo Provera Injection, Contraceptive Implant and both Hormonal & Non-Hormonal Intra-Uterine Devices (coils).

For more information about the available methods, click here.

If you are unable to attend the surgery, all methods are also available from the local Family Planning Clinics. Details of their locations and opening times can be found here.

If you have had unprotected sex, that is, sex without using contraception, or think your contraception might have failed, you can use emergency contraception.

There are different types of emergency contraception:

• the emergency contraceptive pill, Levonelle
• the emergency contraceptive pill, ellaOne
• the emergency intrauterine device (IUD).

Emergency contraception can be very effective especially if you have an IUD fitted or if the emergency contraceptive pill is taken soon after sex.

You don’t need to use emergency contraception for the first 21 days after giving birth.

If you feel you need or want emergency contraception, then we urge you to make an appointment as soon as possible to discuss the matter further. Again, if you are unable to attend the surgery, emergency contraception is available from most Family Planning Clinics, Sexual Health Clinics and Community Pharmacies (please note a charge may apply).

If you've had unprotected sex in the last five days you are still in time to use emergency contraception.

If you think you could be pregnant you should do a pregnancy test as soon as possible. You can buy a test to do yourself from the pharmacy or supermarket, or you can ask for a test at your general practice, any young people's service, a contraception or sexual health clinic, a pharmacy (there may be a charge), most NHS walk-in centres (England only) and GUM clinics.

You can carry out a pregnancy test from the first day of a missed period. Tests that are done earlier than this may not be accurate. If you don’t have regular periods, the earliest time to do a test is three weeks (21 days) from the last time that you had unprotected sex.

If the test is positive, this means you are pregnant. All pregnancy tests, when carried out correctly, are reliable, including tests you do yourself. You now need to think about what you want to do. You can choose to:

• continue with the pregnancy and keep the baby
• end the pregnancy by having an termination
• continue with the pregnancy and have the baby adopted

Family Planning Association – Pregnant and don’t know what to do?

An unplanned pregnancy can be a troubling time for any woman or couple, which you should not have to deal with alone. If you would like advice & support at this time, please call the surgery to book an appointment.

Alternatively, there are a number of clinics within the local area who can also provide advice and support.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Marie Stopes United Kingdom