COVID-19 tips & tricks: COVID and reproductive health

COVID and reproductive health

Access to quality contraception and abortion services is essential during these COVID times. People are still having sex – whether it’s with regular partners or with casual partners. If your sex is with casual partners, outside of your regular partner/s, there is more information on reducing (but not eliminating) your COVID risks during these times.

If you require access to contraception or abortions services, please do not wait until after lock-down to contact your usual service. Services are still operating, but are doing so in different ways. If you’ve used a service before, contact the centre that you’ve previously received the service from – your family doctor, sexual health centre, or family planning centre, for example. Do NOT attend a service in person – contact the service first by phone or online and find out what services are available.

Emergency contraception

In the UK, emergency contraception pills are available for free from some pharmacists, GPs, family planning centres and sexual health clinics. It’s also possible to buy over-the-counter from some pharmacies. See here for more details.

The emergency coil or IUD is available from contraception centres, sexual health centres and GPs. The IUD needs to be fitted within 5 days of having sex.

Accessing abortion services

In the UK, this guidance for those seeking abortion care during these COVID times has been produced to cover England, Wales and Scotland.

In England and Wales, it is now not always necessary for someone seeking an abortion before 10 weeks of gestation (and 12 weeks in Scotland) to visit a health clinic. Advice, and access to early abortion services, can be provided remotely such as by phone or video-conferencing, and with treatment packages being available by post.

Those seeking access to abortion services after 10 weeks (and 12 week in Scotland) can still access services, with addition measures in place to reduce COVID risks.

In the UK, for more information on contraception and abortion services during COVID times visit this link.

Starting contraception

It you want to start using contraception, contact your preferred service provider. It’s likely you’ll be offered a phone or video-conferencing appointment to discuss the options available to you. In some instances, your preferred option of contraception might not be available, due to services reducing direct contact with people. In many instances, prescriptions for contraception will be sent to you electronically, or contraceptives made available by post.

Renewing contraception

If you’re starting to run out of your usual contraceptive method, contact your usual service provider in good time. In most instances you’ll be offered a phone or video-conferencing appointment to discuss renewal of your prescription. In some case you might be offered a different contraceptive method than the one you usually use.

If you’re using a long acting reversible method (such as banded copper IUDs, or implants) and its close to time for replacement, your service provider might recommend delaying replacement until a face-to-face appointment can be made. It’s important to talk to your service provider for advice.