Effects On Periods

Some types of contraception can affect your periods, making them lighter, heavier, more painful or less painful.

If you have heavy or painful periods, you may be offered a method of contraception to treat this even if you do not need contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Help with painful periods

Methods of contraception that can help make periods less painful are:

combined pill
IUS (hormonal coil)
contraceptive implant
contraceptive injection

Help with heavy periods

Methods of contraception that can help with heavy periods are:

combined pill
IUS (hormonal coil)
progestogen-only pill
contraceptive implant
contraception injection

The IUS is generally the most effective type of contraception for help with heavy periods.

Methods that can make periods heavier or more painful

An IUD (copper coil) can make your periods heavier and more painful. This usually gets better within a few months.

If side effects are a problem then you can have your IUD removed. Contact the GP surgery or sexual health clinic where you got the IUD fitted for advice.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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