General Practice, by video or in person
Family Planning: Contraception Methods
The signs, the danger signs that mean hospital now, and how to see a doctor by video from anywhere in Nigeria.
Signs to look for
Family Planning: Contraception Methods
- You want to delay, space or stop having children
- Your method does not suit you, because of bleeding changes, side effects or having to remember it
- You have just had a baby or are breastfeeding, and want a method that is safe now
- You have a health condition, such as high blood pressure, migraine with aura or a past blood clot, or you smoke and are over 35, which rules some methods out
- You also want protection from sexually transmitted infections
Family planning means choosing whether and when to have children, and finding the method that suits you. The methods differ mainly in how long they last and how much you have to remember. The implant and the coil (IUD) are the most effective reversible methods, because once they are fitted there is nothing to remember. The injection works for two or three months at a time, and the pill, the patch and the vaginal ring depend on regular use. Condoms are the only method that also protects against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Natural methods and withdrawal are less reliable. Modern methods do not cause infertility: with most of them fertility returns soon after stopping, though after the injection it can take some months. Many government hospitals and primary health centres have a family planning clinic, and a good provider talks with you in private and without judgement, whatever your age and whether or not you are married.
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Symptoms
- You want to delay, space or stop having children
- Your method does not suit you, because of bleeding changes, side effects or having to remember it
- You have just had a baby or are breastfeeding, and want a method that is safe now
- You have a health condition, such as high blood pressure, migraine with aura or a past blood clot, or you smoke and are over 35, which rules some methods out
- You also want protection from sexually transmitted infections
When to See a Doctor
Go to a hospital now if you have sudden severe pain low in the tummy, especially on one side, with bleeding, dizziness or fainting, which can be an ectopic pregnancy; pain and swelling in one leg, chest pain or sudden breathlessness while on the combined pill, patch or ring, which can be a blood clot; or a high fever with tummy pain in the weeks after a coil is fitted. If you had sex without contraception in the last five days, read about emergency contraception now, because time matters. Otherwise see a doctor to choose a method, to change one that does not suit you, or before stopping one because of side effects, so that you are not left unprotected. A doctor can go through the options with you by video, check which methods are safe with your health and medicines, and tell you where to have an implant or a coil fitted.
Treatment options
- Condoms, male or female, which also protect against sexually transmitted infections
- The combined pill, patch or vaginal ring, used daily, weekly or monthly, after a blood pressure check
- The progestogen-only pill, which suits many women who cannot take oestrogen, including while breastfeeding
- The injection, every two or three months depending on the type, which some women learn to give themselves
- The implant, a small rod under the skin of the arm, lasting three to five years depending on the type
- The copper coil (IUD) or the hormonal coil (IUS), fitted in the womb at a clinic and lasting several years
- Sterilisation for women or vasectomy for men, for people who are sure they want no more children
- Natural family planning, which needs careful teaching and is less reliable
Common Questions
Does family planning cause infertility?
No. The World Health Organization is clear that modern methods do not cause infertility. Fertility returns straight away when an implant or a coil is removed, and soon after the pill is stopped. After the injection it can take several months, sometimes up to a year, which matters if you hope to conceive soon after stopping.
Which family planning method is best?
The one that suits your health, your plans and your life. The implant and the coil are the most effective because there is nothing to remember. If you want a baby within a year or so, a method you can stop at any time, such as the pill or condoms, may suit you better than the injection. Condoms are the only method that also protects against infections, so many people use them alongside another method.
Will family planning make me add weight?
Weight gain is a recognised side effect of the injection. With the implant, some women report weight gain, but the NHS notes there is not enough evidence to say the implant causes it. If a method seems to be changing your weight, mood or bleeding, talk to a doctor about switching rather than stopping with nothing in its place.
Can I get family planning by video?
Partly. A doctor can go through the methods with you, check which are safe with your health and medicines, and prescribe the pill where it suits you, with the prescription sent to a partner pharmacy. The combined pill needs a recent blood pressure reading. The implant and the coil are fitted in person at a clinic, and the injection is given by a trained provider unless you have been taught to inject yourself.
Need Help?
A doctor on a video call, who advises on the right test and treatment, and tells you if you need to be seen in person.
See a doctor by videoIf any of the danger signs on this page applies, go to the nearest hospital now instead.
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The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Family planning/contraception methods. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
- Family planning: a global handbook for providers, 2018 edition. World Health Organization, 2018. Clinical guideline.
- Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, fifth edition. World Health Organization, 2015. Clinical guideline.
- Choosing a method of contraception. NHS. Patient information.
- Combined pill. NHS. Patient information.
- Progestogen-only pill. NHS. Patient information.
- Natural family planning. NHS. Patient information.
Links last checked 30 October 2026.
Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.