The contraceptive injection ultimately works by releasing the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream hence, preventing pregnancy.

The most commonly given contraceptive injection in the UK lasts for 13 weeks, therefore it is particularly suitable for women wanting a longer-term contraceptive solution.

These long-term reversible methods are ideal if you are not planning to have a baby in the near future. If you change your mind, however, your fertility will return to normal quite quickly once they are removed.

£90

Briefly, The contraceptive injection steadily releases the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream, ultimately preventing the release of an egg each month (ovulation).

In addition it also thickens the cervical mucus, which makes it difficult for sperm to move through the cervix. Secondly it thins the lining of the womb so a fertilised egg is less likely to implant itself.

Most women are able to have the contraceptive injection, however there are exceptions to this as mentioned below

You can have the injection at any time during your menstrual cycle, as long as you’re not pregnant.

If you have the injection during the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle, you’ll be immediately protected against becoming pregnant.

If you have the injection on any other day of your cycle, you’ll need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days.

There’s a small risk of infection at the site of the injection. In very rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the injection.

Using the contraception injection affects your natural oestrogen levels, which can cause thinning of the bones, but it does not increase your risk of breaking a bone.

This is not a problem for most women because the bone replaces itself when you stop the injection, and it does not appear to cause any long-term problems.

Sometimes the doctor may recommend that you stop after 2 years so there’s no long-term effect on your bones.