Call: Newbridge (045) 435499 or Email us womenclinic@hotmail.com | Portlaoise: (057) 8688750 or Email us portwomen@womenhc.ie
Fertility Counselling
A new universal contraceptive service for all women aged 17-25 (inclusive) has been agreed between the IMO, Department of Health and HSE.
Contraception Services
Ensuring that you are using contraception that suits your individual needs is a must for safe, reliable, and healthy family planning and sexual function. Here at Women Health & Family Planning Clinic, we provide a range of contraceptive services suitable for women of all ages and stages of life. We provide a range of hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive solutions designed to ensure that you have full control over your reproductive health and can manage family planning in a way that suits you.
Contraceptive Pills
Contraceptive pills are hormonal pills that work by affecting the lining of mucus around the cervix or stopping ovulation to provide protection against pregnancy.
Nowadays, there are a massive number of contraceptive pills on the market, all suitable for different women with different health requirements. We offer contraceptive pill consultations to ensure you find the perfect contraceptive pill to suit your needs and requirements for more control over your reproductive health.
Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection
The Depo-Provera injection is a contraceptive injection administered every three months to protect against unwanted pregnancy.
Depo Provera is a progestin-only long acting reversible hormonal contraceptive birth control drug. It’s given every 11 to 13 weeks (approximately 3 months). Depo Provera is 150 mg aqueous suspension of Medroxyprogesterone injected into muscle and the woman will be protected from pregnancy immediately after receiving each injection for 3 months. Depo Provera is considered as perfect use because of the clinical trial measured efficiency during actual use.
- Effective at preventing pregnancy.
- Long-acting and only required to be injected at every 3 months only when compared with normal contraceptive pills.
- No oestrogen, no myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism (PE), no risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
- Minimal drug interactions (compared to other hormonal contraceptives).
- Depo Provera reduces the risk of endometrial cancer by 80% and is thought to be due to both the direct anti-proliferative effect on the endometrium and the indirect reduction of oestrogen levels by suppressions of ovarian follicular development.
- Decreases the risk of iron deficiency anaemia, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, and uterine fibroids.
- Decreases incidence of ovulation pain and functional ovarian cysts.
- Decreases incidence of seizures in women with epilepsy. Unlike most other hormonal contraceptives, Depo Provera's contraceptive effectiveness is not affected by enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs.
IMPLANON Contraceptive Implant
The IMPLANON contraceptive implant is a long-lasting contraceptive choice with almost no maintenance required.
Some women may wish to use hormonal birth control but may not be able to choose a method due to oestrogen intolerance. IMPLANON (which is progestin contraception) provides a hormonal alternative option. IMPLANON is an implantable hormonal contraceptive that is effective for up to 3 years. This contraception consists of a single thin road progestin which is 40 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter and inserted through a small skin incision, usually the inside of the upper arm. Here in Women Health & Family Planning Clinic, we help women to be protected from pregnancy by the insertion of IMPLANON. This small procedure requires local anaesthetic and only takes a few minutes. Our professional way of insertion makes it invisible on the skin surface and pain-free.
- Suitable for women over the age of 35
- Suitable for smokers
- Suitable for women who suffer from high blood pressure
- Suitable for breastfeeding mothers
Copper Coil (Non-Hormonal)
The copper coil, otherwise known as an IUD, is a long-term, non-hormonal method of birth control for pregnancy prevention.
The copper coil is a non-hormonal T-Shaped device made of plastic and copper that can be left in place for up to 10 years. IUDs are highly effective because they work primarily by preventing sperm from reaching and fertilising the egg. These coils may also prevent the egg from attaching to the uterus. The contraceptive effectiveness of the IUD is enhanced by the continuous release of copper into the uterine cavity. It's useful for women who should not use hormones due to medical conditions like hypertension, breast cancer or uncontrolled diabetes. Unlike other hormonal contraceptives, IUD do not weight gain or other hormone-related adverse effects, and only require a monthly self-check for maintenance. We offer copper coil fitting, check-ups, follow-ups, removal, and more to ensure a safe and efficient copper coil contraceptive service.
Mirena, Jaydess & Kyleena Coil (Hormonal)
The Mirena and Kyleena coils are forms of hormonal contraceptives implanted into the uterus in a similar way to the copper coil.
Mirena, Jaydess & Kyleena are contraceptive devices that contain the active ingredient Levonorgestrel. These hormonal coils are an Intrauterine System (IUS) that are inserted into the womb in a similar way to a copper contraceptive coil. Levonorgestrel is a synthetic form of the female hormone progesterone which works by increasing the thickness of the natural mucus at the neck of the womb to makes it more difficult for sperm to cross through. Levonorgestrel also prevents the womb lining from thickening each month in preparation to receive a fertilised egg and, accordingly, this will stop any fertilised eggs from successful implanting on the wall of the womb. Levonorgestrel may also prevent the release of an egg from the ovary, but this does not necessarily occur in all women who use the IUS. Here at Women Health & Family Planning Clinic, we offer fitting, removal, check-ups, follow-ups, and consultations for women considering the hormonal coil as their primary method of contraception.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception is a time-sensitive method of contraception intended for use after unprotected sex and/or the failure of an alternative contraceptive.
Emergency contraception is intended for occasional use, especially when the primary methods of contraception fail or after unprotected sexual intercourse. In such cases, we can provide a quick, emergency solution in the form of a hormonal pill to prevent potential pregnancy. If you feel that your primary contraception has failed to protect you from pregnancy, don’t wait for tomorrow, and call us immediately or visit our clinic. Here at Women Health & Family Planning Clinic, we offer a range of emergency contraceptive services including emergency contraceptive pills (also known as ECPs or morning-after pills), IUDS, and evaluating the likelihood of pregnancy through consultations. We provide a non-judgemental, professional emergency contraception service to all our clients who need it.
- A new universal contraceptive service for all women aged 17-25 (inclusive) has been agreed between the IMO, Department of Health and HSE.
- The scheme will apply to all relevant women in this age group who are ordinarily resident in the State, regardless of eligibility status (GMS/DVC/Private).
Who is eligible for the scheme?
All women aged 17-25 (GMS/DVC/Private) who are ordinarily resident in the State are eligible for the scheme, from the date of their 17th birthday to the day before their 26th birthday.
Where a woman is now over 26 but had a contraceptive device fitted before her 26th birthday and is now seeking to have it removed, such removal is also covered under the scheme.
You are deemed ordinarily resident if you have been living in the State for at least a year, or you intend to live here for at least one year. Patients will need to provide their full name, address, date of birth and PPSN to access the scheme. All those aged 17-25 and ordinarily resident in the State are eligible to apply for same.
What types of contraception are covered?
All contraceptive options which are currently included on the GMS Reimbursement List are covered. This includes contraceptive pill, patch and ring, Mirena, Kyleena and Jaydess (coils, also known as intrauterine devices or systems; IUS, IUD), Implanon (contraceptive implant) and Depo Provera (contraceptive injection).
Emergency contraception is also covered under the scheme.
Contraception FAQ
This is difficult to say, as different contraception types vary in efficiency depending on correct usage. Generally speaking, studies have shown that IUDs and contraceptive implants have the highest success rate in preventing pregnancy.
Yes, once you are being regularly monitored by a health professional and do not have any underlying issues that the pill affects, it is completely safe to be using oral birth control long-term.
This all varies from woman to woman, but most women will get pregnant within 6 months of coming off their contraception. If you have been trying for a baby for over 6 months, it can be helpful to contact your local family planning clinic for tests to ensure that nothing is wrong.