Contraception and pregnancy

This section contains information about how to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, what choices you have if you get pregnant, and details of the clinics and services available to you in York and North Yorkshire.

Contraception is the use of hormones, devices or surgery to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. It allows women to choose when and if they want to have a baby. If you wish to avoid an unplanned pregnancy contraception needs to be used from the first time you have sex until the menopause. You can find out more about the most popular types of contraception on these pages.

The male condom is the only type of contraception that also protects men and women from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Click here for more information on how to get free condoms.

If you suspect that you are pregnant or have taken a home pregnancy test that confirms you are pregnant, you can find more information here about what to do next. If you are planning to get pregnant, it is a good idea to visit your GP or local contraception/sexual health clinic to find out how you can keep you and your unborn baby as healthy as possible.