London

United Kingdom / London

OVERVIEW

Contraception

General Note: There are many types of contraceptives, also known as "birth control," including IUDs, oral contraceptives, patches, shots, and condoms, etc. If you would like to view a full list, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the United Kingdom, a prescription is required to obtain birth control. Overall, contraceptive use is very common with an estimated 84% of women of reproductive age using some form of contraception and 22% of women using oral contraceptives. Furthermore, it's estimated that the United Kingdom has the second most prevalent usage of condoms in the world.

Emergency Contraception

Important Notes: Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy for three days (72 hours) and sometimes five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Take EC as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If you don't have access to dedicated EC, oral contraceptives can be used as replacement EC, but remember the following: 1) Only some contraceptives work as EC 2) Different contraceptives require different dosages and time schedules to work as EC 3) You must only use the first 21 pills in 28-day packs and 4) They may be less effective than dedicated EC. For general information on emergency contraceptives, click here and here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the United Kingdom, a prescription is required in order to obtain emergency contraception. You must generally be over 16 years old to obtain EC. However, a doctor may prescribe EC to women of any age, including those under 16 (and without parental consent), if they are found to be competent enough to consent.

What to Get & Where to Get It

Note: The longest-lasting EC is currently ellaOne. It lasts up to 5 days (120 hours) after unprotected sex. Check to see if your country carries ellaOne. If your country doesn't carry ellaOne, copper IUDs may also prevent pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. If none of these options are available, and it's been over 3 days since you had unprotected sex, you can still take EC, which may work up to 5 days. Note that EC pills are not 100% effective and should be taken as soon as possible.

In the United Kingdom, you can obtain EC without a prescription. Until recently, you needed a prescription to obtain ellaOne, but now you don't.

Here's what you can get:

Dedicated Products / Anti-Progestin Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• ellaOne (link to UK website)

Dedicated Products / Progestin Only Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Levonelle 1500
• Levonelle One Step
• Levonelle-1

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Levonelle-2 (available from a pharmacist without a prescription)

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin Only Take 40 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Neogest

Take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

• Microval
• Norgeston

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin-Estrogen Combined Note: in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

• Eugynon 30ED
• Microgynon
• Microgynon 30 ED
• Microgynon-30
• Ovranette

Costs

LNG: € 6,97, as of 2013; UPA: € 19,75, as of 2013.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs/STDs)

Important Notes - Learn about PEP and PrEP: If you think that you've been recently exposed to HIV (i.e. within 72 hours), seek out PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a month-long treatment to prevent HIV infection after exposure, and it may be available in your city. Take PEP as soon as possible. For more information, click here. If you are at risk of HIV exposure, seek out PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). It's a daily oral pill that can prevent HIV infection before exposure. To learn more about PrEP, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In August 2016, the High Court ruled that the NHS is responsible for funding PrEP. However, as reported by AIDSMap: "NHS England said today in response that the High Court ruling does not mean the medication will end up being funded by the NHS, and warned today that manufacturer Gilead Sciences now faces a blindfold bidding war with other pharmaceutical companies to make its product affordable enough to be prioritised by NHS England for funding."

Menstruation

Note: In addition to pads and tampons, you can also use menstrual cups and menstrual underwear for your period. To learn more about menstrual cups, click here. To learn more about menstrual underwear, click here.

Abortion

Important Note: There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click here.

Laws & Social Stigmas

In the United Kingdom, with the exception of Northern Ireland, abortion is permitted during the first 24 weeks of gestation. Women are allowed to obtain abortions for the following reasons: to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment or economic/social reasons. Abortion is not available on request in the UK.

To obtain an abortion, spousal consent is not required. But medical consent is required. Two registered medical practitioners (or, in an emergency, only one) need to certify that the abortion is required on medical grounds, as stipulated in the Abortion Act 1967. The abortion must be performed in a National Health Service (NHS) hospital or in an NHS-approved place, which may be a private hospital, nursing home or another facility.

When a woman is up to nine weeks pregnant, medical abortions can be performed with Mifepristone (abortion pill). From the seventh to fifteenth week, the suction/vacuum aspiration is most commonly performed. From the fifteenth to eighteenth week, surgical dilation and evacuation methods are most commonly performed. It is estimated that 30% of abortions in the United Kingdom are medical rather than surgical.

Abortion in the United Kingdom is protected under the Abortion Act of 1967, which was amended by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Act of 1990. The Act applies to England, Wales and Scotland. It does not apply to Northern Ireland. According to the Act, "a person shall not be guilty of an offence under the law relating to abortion when a pregnancy is terminated by a registered medical practitioner if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith" that the pregnant woman falls under criteria for permitted abortions.

In 1991, the UK became the second country, after France, to approve the use of RU-486 (the abortion pill). The pill is currently controlled by the National Health Service, which distributes it to gynecological units in the UK. In 2011, the BPAS attempted to force the Health Secretary to allow women to administer second dosages of medical abortion treatments at home. This was lost in High Court.

Generally, Great Britain is pro-choice. In 2004, a poll found that 75% of Britons believe abortion should be legal.

Personal accounts of obtaining an abortion in the UK:

• The Guardian: Nine women share their personal stories of abortion
• Abortion: The unheard stories

What to Get & Where to Get It

• NHS Abortion Services: You may be eligible for a free abortion through NHS at various hospitals. Check out this link to find an NHS service near you.
• Leigham Clinic: 76 Leigham Court Road, Streatham, London, SW16 2QA, Tel: 08457 30 40 30
• London Central Day Surgery Unit: bpas, 26-27 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3HP, Tel: 08457 30 40 30
• Marie Stopes International Central London Centre: Marie Stopes House, 108 Whitfield Street, London W1P 5BE, Tel: 0845 300 8090
• Marie Stopes International South London Centre: 1a Raleigh Gardens, Brixton Hill, South London SW2 6AB, Tel: 0845 300 8090
• Marie Stopes International West London: 87 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London W5 5BJ, Tel: 0845 300 8090

Costs

According to UKHealthCentre: "Having an abortion with the NHS should not cost you anything but this very much depends on the local NHS Trust in your area. Sometimes the NHS will pay for you to have an abortion at a private clinic. Private clinics charge different prices. These costs can depend on the number of weeks you are pregnant and prices range from £400 - £800. It is often cheaper and quicker to have an abortion earlier in your pregnancy."