Natural family planning

Natural family planning uses the body's natural signs to work out when a woman is fertile or infertile throughout her menstrual cycle. The woman keeps a daily record to identify changes in body temperature and cervical secretions. The temperature changes that occur are very slight, so customers may need to purchase a sensitive thermometer.

Natural family planning can be up to 98 per cent effective, but to work properly, it has to be taught by a doctor, nurse or family planning clinic. The advantages of this method are that there are no side effects and that it can be used to plan pregnancy as well as to avoid it. It is most beneficial for couples in long-term relationships as it does not protect against STIs.

Persona is another natural family planning method. It works by monitoring levels of luteinising hormone and oestrogen in the first urine of the day to identify when a woman is most likely to conceive. Some women cannot use Persona (e.g. those who are taking certain medication or whose menstrual cycles are shorter than 23 days or longer than 35 days), so if you are unsure about suitability, refer to the pharmacist.

Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC)

A woman who has had unprotected sex or who thinks her contraception may have failed may want to use EHC.

EHC works either by stopping ovulation or fertilisation of an egg, or by stopping a fertilised egg from becoming implanted in the womb. A pharmacist must be directly involved in all sales of EHC. EHC may not be suitable if taking certain medicines.

The most likely side effects of EHC are nausea and/or vomiting and disruption of periods. If a woman is sick within three hours of taking EHC, she will need to speak to the pharmacist again for further advice. Other commonly reported side effects include dizziness, tiredness, headaches, breast tenderness, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

EHC can be taken as required, but it is not intended to be a regular method of contraception, and is not as effective as other methods of contraception.

There are two products, one containing levonorgestrel (example: Levonelle), which can be taken up to three days after unprotected intercourse, and one other €“ much newer to the UK €“ containing ulipristal acetate (example: ellaOne), which is effective up to five days after unprotected sex.