The contraceptive injection: what to know

The contraceptive injection is one of the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy, and one of the simplest to live with: one injection every few months, no daily pill to remember, and no oestrogen. It is not for everyone, and there is one risk worth understanding before you start.

What it is

The injection is a progestogen called medroxyprogesterone. It stops your ovaries releasing an egg and thickens the mucus at the neck of the womb. One dose lasts 12 to 13 weeks and is over 99 percent effective when given on time.

It comes two ways. Sayana Press is a small injection just under the skin, and is licensed in the UK for you to give yourself at home after a quick demonstration. Depo-Provera is given into the muscle by a doctor. The medicine is the same; the difference is who gives it and where.

What it is like to use

Most people find their periods change. Bleeding can be irregular for the first few months, and then often becomes lighter or stops altogether, which many people welcome. Because there is no oestrogen, the injection suits people who cannot take the combined pill, including those who are breastfeeding, get migraine with aura, or smoke and are over 35.

Two things to plan for. After you stop the injection, it can take up to a year for your fertility to return, so it is not the right choice if you are hoping to conceive soon. And with long-term use it can lower bone density, which recovers after you stop; we weigh this with you, especially if you are under 18 or have used it for more than two years.

The risk worth understanding

Long-term use of the injection is linked to a small increased risk of a meningioma, a usually benign tumour of the lining of the brain. In long-term users the risk is around 5.6 times higher than in people who have never used it. That sounds alarming, so two things matter: the overall risk remains low, and short-term use has not been linked to it. We will not give the injection to anyone who has, or has had, a meningioma, and we talk this through with you properly before you start. If you want to read more, the patient leaflet covers it, and your doctor will go through it with you.

How to get it with us

Start with a short online assessment. A doctor reviews it, checks the injection is safe for you, and goes through the risks and benefits. If Sayana Press is right for you, we send it to you to inject at home, with a demonstration so you feel confident. If you would rather a doctor gave it, you book a visit to our Westfield London clinic. You choose how much contact you want.

The injection is also free on the NHS, at GP surgeries and sexual health clinics. To have it with us, start with a short assessment.

Ready to start?

See the contraceptive injection, or begin your assessment.