Contraception and family planning
Choosing contraception is rarely a one-off decision. What suited you at twenty-two may not suit you at thirty-five, after a baby, or when you are managing heavy periods alongside it.
This consultation is about matching a method to your circumstances — how much you want to think about it day to day, whether you are planning a pregnancy in the next few years, and what your medical history allows.
Reasons people book this consultation
Having one of these does not necessarily mean something is wrong. It means the question is worth asking.
- Choosing a contraceptive method for the first time
- Side effects from a current method
- Wanting to switch from one method to another
- Planning a break from contraception before trying to conceive
- Contraception after childbirth, including while breastfeeding
- Contraception alongside heavy or painful periods
- Questions about long-acting methods
- Reviewing a method after several years on it
- Discussing permanent options and what they involve
How a consultation may help
- Explaining how each method works, how reliable it is in practice, and what it involves day to day
- Checking your medical history for anything that makes a particular method unsuitable
- Discussing effects on periods, which for some women is the main reason to choose one method over another
- Managing side effects rather than simply stopping and starting again
- Being clear about how quickly fertility returns after stopping each method
- Talking through permanent options properly, including how reversible they are and are not
What to expect at your visit
Your circumstances first
Age, medical history, plans for pregnancy, and how much day-to-day attention you want a method to need.
Options laid out honestly
Reliability, side effects, cost and convenience for each realistic option, rather than a single recommendation.
Checks where relevant
Blood pressure and a brief examination may be advised depending on the method being considered.
A follow-up built in
Most methods deserve a review after a few months, so side effects can be managed rather than endured.
Common questions
Answers here are general. Your own situation is what the consultation is for.
Will contraception affect my ability to conceive later?
For most reversible methods, fertility returns once the method is stopped, though the timing varies between methods and between individuals. This is discussed specifically for whichever option you are considering.
Can contraception help with heavy or painful periods?
Some methods reduce bleeding or pain for many women, and that is a legitimate reason to choose one over another. Whether it applies to you depends on the cause of the bleeding, which is worth assessing first.
Is it safe to use contraception while breastfeeding?
Several methods are considered suitable during breastfeeding, and others are usually avoided. Which applies depends on how long ago you delivered and how you are feeding, so it is worth a short conversation rather than a general answer.
I have side effects. Should I just stop?
It is worth discussing first. Some side effects settle within a few months, some can be managed, and some genuinely mean the method is not right for you. Stopping without a plan can leave you unprotected unintentionally.
Are permanent methods reversible?
They should be considered permanent when you choose them. Reversal is sometimes technically possible but is not guaranteed to restore fertility, which is why the decision is discussed carefully rather than quickly.
Discuss this with Dr. Disha Ghoniya
Send a request with your preferred day and a short line about what has been happening. The clinic will confirm a time that works.