The injectable contraception contains an artificial progestogen hormone.
It is:
- 99% effective when you use the method correctly every time
- 94% effective when you don’t always use the method correctly
What is it?
An injection is given by a healthcare professional about every 12 weeks.
How it works
The hormone progestogen sits in the muscle and is slowly absorbed from the muscle into the blood over a course of 12 weeks. This prevents ovulation (an egg being released).
If you are considering injectable contraception, you should talk to a doctor, who will assess if this contraceptive option is best for you.
Advantages
- Does not interrupt sex.
- May protect against cancer of the womb lining.
- Useful for women who forget to take their pill daily.
- Can be used by women who cannot take oestrogen in the combined oral contraceptive pill, such as women over 35 who smoke.
Drawbacks
- May cause irregular bleeding at first. Then can create a lighter period or no period at all in most cases.
- Must be given by a doctor or a nurse.
- Cannot be immediately reversed if you have side-effects.
- Can take six to twelve months for regular periods and fertility to return to normal.
- Does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
