GPAtlas🧭 When to consider
Contraception is relevant to anyone of reproductive age who wishes to avoid pregnancy. The core primary-care skill is to match an effective method to the person's preferences while screening for medical eligibility. Safety is judged using the FSRH UK Medical Eligibility Criteria (UKMEC) – note that the FSRH was renamed the College of Sexual & Reproductive Health (CoSRH) in 2025, and that UKMEC 2025 now supersedes the 2016 edition.
Two principles run through every consultation. First, UKMEC relates to safety, not effectiveness – it tells you what is safe, not what is best, and it does not account for drug interactions. Second, the most effective methods are the long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) – the implant, the intrauterine system (IUS) and the copper coil – because they remove the risk of user error.
| UKMEC category | Meaning | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No restriction | Use the method freely |
| 2 | Advantages generally outweigh risks | Generally use; some follow-up may be needed |
| 3 | Risks usually outweigh advantages | Not usually recommended – needs expert judgement / referral |
| 4 | Unacceptable health risk | Do not use |
Multiple category 2 conditions relating to the same risk, or more than one category 3, may together make a method unsuitable – apply clinical judgement.
Source: FSRH UKMEC 2025
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