What types of contraception are available?
There are two main types of contraception: hormonal and non-hormonal. Hormonal includes combined hormonal contraceptives (the ‘pill’ and the ‘patch’), which contain synthetic oestrogen and progestogen. These are usually used for 21 consecutive days before a 7-day hormone-free interval during which a woman usually has a withdrawal bleed, just like a period. They are very effective methods of contraception as their main effect is to stop an egg being released from the ovaries (ovulation) each month. Combined hormonal contraception (CHC) is very safe for most women, including most women with migraine. However, it is not suitable for women who are at a higher background risk of blood clots, particularly women who smoke, have high blood pressure, who are very overweight, or who have migraine aura, since the oestrogen component can further increase the risk. Other hormonal methods contain only progestogen and are usually suitable for women who are unable to, or do not wish to take oestrogens
