Advice and Information

Contraception campaign pushes LARC methods

Younger women are being encouraged to consider Long Acting Reversible Contraception or LARC as part of a new sexual health campaign launched by NHS North Yorkshire and York and City of York Council’s Young People’s Service.

LARC methods protect against pregnancy as an alternative to the contraceptive pill. They offer the same level of protection against pregnancy that the pill does (over 99%) but the key advantages are that they don’t need to be taken every day and can last for anything from eight weeks to 10 years before reapplication.

As part of the campaign, a poster has been developed targeting young people who might benefit from using LARC methods with the help of four women who became pregnant at a young age. The poster is being displayed in a variety of venues across the county including GP surgeries, pharmacies, youth clubs and family centres.

LARC methods include a contraceptive injection, an implant and small devices that are placed in the uterus. They can be fitted by trained GPs or at a Family Planning Clinic.

To find out more about Long Active Reversible Contraception or LARC, visit your local Family Planning Clinic or GP. More information about family planning and contraception is also available at www.nhs.uk or for free confidential advice call 0800 28 29 30.

Other places to access information include www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout/.

LARC Project Group – young mums who helped develop campaign

A group of four young mothers from York involved with City of York Council’s Young People’s Services has helped to develop this campaign for NHS North Yorkshire and York.

The LARC project group (pictured right) includes (back row left to right) Shireen Frank, Natalie Miller, (front row left to right) Sian Roe and Becky Fieldsend who all live in York.

Becky’s views on LARC

Becky Fieldsend, age 24 and from York, is a member of the LARC project group. She has three children and gave birth to her first at 16.

Becky said: “There are a lot of negative perceptions about young mums. People look at you in the street and judge you. You can see them thinking: ‘Look at that girl, she’s still a child herself’. I was taking the pill when I fell pregnant but I wasn’t taking it properly. I’d take it one day, miss the next.

“I think LARC methods are more suited to young women. You haven’t got the worry of remembering to take a pill every day. It’s important that we make sure young women know there are other options out there for them.

 “It’s also really good that LARC can be accessed in a confidential environment because a lot of girls can’t speak to their parents about this sort of thing. I was always hiding my pill packet from my folks. Some people complain about contraception methods and say they are uncomfortable, but it’s a lot less uncomfortable than having a baby!

“Having children has been a really positive experience for me but for the moment I’m happy with my three. If I could have the same children again but have them now, I would. It would have been good to have experienced life at a younger age. These LARC methods would have been easier for me to use at the time when I had my first.”

Contraception – free on the NHS

Contraception is free for women and men of all ages through the NHS. You can obtain free contraception including emergency contraception from:

• A GP practice

• a contraception clinic or sexual health clinic

• a young person’s service

• some genitourinary (GUM) clinics.

Young women aged 14 to 24 years old can also get free emergency contraception from a number of pharmacies across North Yorkshire and York.

LARC methods

Click here to see a poster explaining the four LARC methods.

LARC methods protect against pregnancy but do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. The only safe method of contraception that protects you from both is the condom.

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