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The contraceptive injection contains the hormone progestogen. This is similar to the hormone progesterone that is naturally produced in the ovaries and works to prevent pregnancy.
The injection contains the hormone progesterone and works in three ways to prevent pregnancy from occuring. Read more
The injection is over 99% effective It doesn’t interrupt sex Periods may be irregular, heavier, and longer or they may stop all together It doesn’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections
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The injection is available free of charge from contraceptive clinics, your GP and Brook. Find your nearest using our find a service tool. Read more
Pregnancy happens when sperm reaches an egg and fertlises it. The injection works in three ways to interrupt this process:
The injection is a method long-acting reversible contraception (or LARC). These methods don’t rely on you remembering to take them, but they do need a trained doctor or nurse to administer or fit them for you.
The most commonly used injection is Depo-Provera (or DMPA). Depo-Provera and Noristerat must be administered by a doctor or nurse. However, there is now an injection called Sayana Press which you can be taught to inject yourself at home.
Pros
Cons
The injection is available free of charge from contraceptive clinics, your GP and Brook. Find your nearest using our find a service tool.
Contraception and sexual health services such as Brook are free and confidential, including for people under the age of 16. Health professionals work to strict guidelines and won’t tell anyone else about your visit unless they believe you’re at serious risk of immediate harm. Find out more about Brook’s confidentiality policy.
You will need to see a doctor or nurse to discuss which of the three injections is most suitable for you. Sayana Press (the one you inject yourself) is not available everywhere at the moment.
When you go to get the injection, an appointment will typically include:
Depending on the type, you will need to go back to the clinic either 8, 12 or 13 weeks for your next injection. If you are using the Sayana Press (which you inject yourself at home) you only have to go back to the clinic annually because you will be given a years supply.
INFORMATION
You will not be required to have an internal or breast examination for the injection.
Can you use the contraceptive injection yourself?
Sayana Press is currently the only type of injection that you can use yourself at home. The nurse or doctor will teach you how to inject yourself and also how to dispose of the needle safely. You will be given a yearly supply of the injection to use at home (every 13 weeks).
You can have the injection at any time in your menstrual cycle if you are certain you are not pregnant. If you’re given the injection during the first five days of your period you will be protected against pregnancy immediately.
If you have the injection on any other day of your cycle you will not be protected for the first seven days, so you will need to use another method of contraception, like condoms. You may also be required to take a pregnancy test after the injection has been given.
WARNING
Follow-up injections must be given on time. If you think your next injection is late use condoms until you know that your contraception is definitely protecting you again.
100% FREE & CONFIDENTIAL