AIBU to go and get contraception during lockdown

[shutupsteph]

Hi all

Currently 11 weeks postpartum. I asked my doctor about getting the coil at my last appointment but she told me the GPs at my practise weren't currently fitting them so to go to a walk in clinic. A few days later we went on lockdown so I decided not to go. Fast forward a few weeks and a broken condom later I've found myself in the middle of a pregnancy scare. We're sure we don't want any more children but we don't want to go down the 'permanent' routes just yet which is why I wanted the copper coil.

Basically all I don't know if going to a walk in clinic at the moment is a reasonable/sensible thing to do? Has anyone beento a clinic during lockdown? Are they even offering contraception?

I agree with @PearPickingPorky. I think contraception is really important. People aren’t going to stop having sex and the last thing we need is a spike in the birth rate in 9 months time (when we might still be in the midst of the pandemic depending how it all pans out). I think it is one of the most important reason for a woman to access medical care during all of this. If a woman ends up pregnant and she doesn’t want to be, that’s going to be an even trickier situation to manage in this situation.

A walk in centre is not going to put a coil in for you, your GP must be high. Try ringing your local contraception and sexual health service and they might do it.

preventing unwanted pregnancy is simply a case of keeping your knees together.

And

keep your knickers on

Well, I'm certainly not going to try and have a civil discussion with someone who says things like that.

Another practice nurse here also doing telephone consultations for the pill. No coil or implant fits. Most patients are very understanding and are taking some responsibility.
Condoms are a non hormonal method of contraception that prevent unwanted pregnancies. You may not like them but you have a choice whether to use them or not.

OP, some private clinics are still offering this service, but it's not cheap. Have a google search.

@Pangur2 I take yasmin and have it prescribed by my doctor.

Out of interest how much is it to pay for pills privately?

To everyone telling the OP to use condoms, if you read the original post it was a split condom that has spooked her into getting something sorted now!

OP, have you tried calling your doctor about getting the pill for now? I was able to request a prescription over the phone as I was running low (not the same I know) and they sent the medication straight to my local pharmacy for me to collect.

Definitely essential. I had similar last month, I ordered one off Superdrug online and got next day delivery. It was over £20 but definitely worth it and then phoned my surgery to get the pill temporarily until they are able to fit the implant.

Sorry can I gate crash?

What about coils that are due changing?
Mine is due out end of June, so what happens then?

I imagine it stays in and you use another form of contraception alongside. I took the mini pill alongside my mirena when waiting for an appointment to get it removed under GA

Well yes, if you don’t want to get pregnant then either don’t have sex, or use condoms until you get something else sorted.

I wouldn’t have put it quite as bluntly as @SomeoneElseEntirelyNow
but essentially that’s what you need to do!

We ARE still providing contraceptive services, just not as many options as we normally can.

Ultimately though, if I couldn't get contraception and didn't want to get pregnant, I'd just not have full sex. It's not like sex is an essential activity 🤣🤣

@Fiddlersgreen I think it's about £27 for 3 month's worth, off the top of my head. That includes delivery I think.
My GP prescribed me a generic version of Yaz that she swore was the same, but it gave me acne. (Can't remember the name of it now.) I'm sure if I pushed I could get Yaz from the GP but it is impossible to get an appointment, let alone at a time I could actually go, so I find the Superdrug delivery the less stressful option. I recently moved and I couldn't even get an appointment to join the GP let alone get a medical appointment!

In case it helps anyone, emergency copper IUDs (CuIUD) are still being fitted by many sexual health clinics during the COVID19 pandemic - for emergency contraception they can be fitted up to five days after unprotected sex, or up to 5 days after ovulation (calculated from usual cycle length), whichever is the later. A CuIUD is definitely the most effective form of emergency contraception, although one form of oral emergency contraception (ellaOne) can be used up to five days after unprotected sex too.

Also, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare has published guidelines for extended use of long-acting methods beyond the licensed duration during COVID, based on existing scientific evidence eg.the implant (Nexplanon) can be used for up to 4 years, and the Mirena intrauterine system (coil) for up to 6 years. Details here:

www.fsrh.org/documents/advice-for-women-seeking-contraception-abortion-and-other