Whether you’re in a relationship or a travelling single pringle, contraception is a big thing you should think about ahead of travel. Whilst this article is mainly for the girls, boys should pay close attention too!
In this article, we want to sum up the pros and cons of each available method of contraception at the moment, in order to help you make the choice that best suits you while you’re away.
Please be aware that while the below products have been designed to prevent unwanted pregnancies, they do not all protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). So if you are unsure of your partners’ sexual history, please make sure you take the necessary precautions! Please also note that this article is studying these methods of contraception from a travel based perspective and for further details or information on each of the below items you should consult your doctor.
The Condom (Male)
The male condom is 98% effective and will protect against the spread of STIs and unwanted pregnancies. Its travel pros are that, individually, they are small so won’t take up a huge amount of space in your backpack (depending on how many you take…or how lucky you think you’ll be getting).
Alternatively you don’t have to pack them at all as they are available worldwide in most pharmacies, supermarkets or through online methods etc. so you should normally be able to pick them up at whatever destination you’ll be visiting. There are also no medical side effects to their use and will only need to be used ahead of sex – as opposed to a constant form of contraception.
Its travel cons are that they can split (and if this is your only form of contraception then you may be exposed to the risk of not only STIs but also pregnancy) and that if you are packing a large amount then this will take up valuable space in your bag.
The Condom (Female)
The female condom protects you from both STIs and unwanted pregnancies but is only 95% effective. Its travel pros are that there are no medical side effects and they only need to be used before/during sex as opposed to a constant form of contraception where you may need to think about taking something each day.
However, its travel cons are that they are not as widely available as the male version and could potentially be expensive. If you do chose to plan ahead and pack them, then these will take up space in your bag. They also run the same risk of splitting.
The Contraceptive Pill
The pill will protect from unwanted pregnancies but not STIs and are suitable for women only. Coming in at over 99% effective, its travel pros are that periods can become more regulated, which is great for helping avoid unwanted embarrassment especially if spending your travel time in your bikini.
Periods could also become lighter and more manageable which is always a plus when travelling. Its travel cons are that some medication may cause the pill to become less effective which is something you may want to check out if you’re planning on having any jabs or taking medication whilst away.
With the pill you will also need to ensure that you continue to take it at your allocated time of day, bearing in mind any time differences. If travelling for an extended period of time you will need to think about taking enough pills to last the duration of your travels but also a little extra in case of any lost packets.
Having this many pills with you will also take up valuable space in your bag so look into whether or not you can get a supply once you reach your destination. As this contraception method only protects you from pregnancy, you will also need to think about using a condom to prevent the risk of STIs.
The Contraceptive Implant
The implant will protect you against pregnancy but not STIs. It’s for women only and is more than 99% effective. Its travel pros are that it lasts for 3 years which is loads of time to cram in plenty of worry-free adventuring. It won’t take up any space in your bag, as it sits neatly in your arm, your periods could become lighter or non-existent altogether which would also mean space-saving in terms of sanitary products, and finally, you won’t have to remember to take something every day.
Its travel cons are that periods could become irregular or heavier, some medicines could affect its performance and it also won’t protect you from STIs.
The Contraceptive Injection
The contraceptive injection will protect against pregnancy but not STIs at an effectiveness rate of more than 99%. For women only, its travel pros are that it won’t take up space in your bag, you don’t need to worry about taking something every day, it’s not affected by other medicines and it could cause periods to become lighter or stop altogether, which again would save space on sanitary products.
Its travel cons are that is only lasts for 8 or 13 weeks so you would need to consider how long you were away for; it doesn’t protect against STIs, periods could become heavier or irregular and you would also need a repeat injection before it expired or became ineffective so you would need to consider whether this method of contraception was available in the countries you’d be travelling to.
The Contraceptive Patch
This provides protection from pregnancy but not STIs. Used by women only it is more than 99% effective. Its travel pros are that you don’t need to think about it every day, and although it sits on the exterior of your skin, it can be worn swimming and is able to get wet; periods may also become lighter and more regular.
The patch’s travel cons are that it will take up space in your bag, you may not be able to purchase additional patches while you are away, they can cause raised blood pressure, the patch is visible and could cause irritation of skin and you will need to remember to change it weekly.
Intrauterine Device (IUD)
The IUD protects against pregnancy but not STIs. It can be used by women only and is more than 99% effective. Its travel pros are that it lasts between 5-10 years, which means you really won’t have to think about it while travelling; there are no hormonal side effects, it won’t take up space in your bag and it will not be affected by other medicines.
Its travel cons are that periods may become heavier, longer and more painful, it will not provide protection against STIs and your body could reject the device or it could become infected.
Intrauterine System (IUS)
The IUS protects against pregnancy but not STIs. It is available only for women and is more than 99% effective. Its travel pros are that it lasts between 3-5 years, can allow periods to become lighter, shorter, less painful or stop altogether (which again saves space which would otherwise be used on sanitary products), it is not affected by other medicines and does not require any space to be used up in your bag.
Its travel cons are that periods may become irregular, it does not prevent against STIs and you run the risk of infection.
Caps or Diaphragms
These will protect you from pregnancy but not STIs. Available for women only, they are 92%-96% effective. Their travel pros are that they only need to be used before/during sex so you don’t need to think about it every day, there are no serious side effects and it will take up little space in your bag.
Their travel cons are that they need to be used with spermicide, they aren’t as effective as other methods of contraception, it will take up some space in your bag, their use can cause cystitis which is never something you want to experience while travelling, there is no STI protection and they can also prove difficult to master in terms of insertion.
Vaginal Ring
This will protect you from pregnancy but not STIs. For women only, it is more than 99% effective. Its travel pros are that you don’t need to think about it every day, periods can become lighter, less painful and more regular, there is no long term side effect on your fertility and it will only take up a teeny bit of room in your bag for a short amount of time.
Its travel cons are that it may be uncomfortable to wear, it doesn’t protect against STIs, you will need to remember to change it every 21 days (which means you will need to plan ahead or take enough – as these products are much rarer than other forms of contraception so finding them whilst travelling could prove difficult) and some medicines will make the ring less effective.
In addition to those listed above, there are also other methods of contraception such as Natural Family Planning (also known as fertility awareness), female sterilisation and male sterilisation. Our list simply provides an overview of temporary product-based contraception.
If you need more help choosing, there are two charities who have set up Contraception Tools which may be able to assist you in making the right choice.
https://www.brook.org.uk/our-services/category/my-contraception-tool
https://www.fpa.org.uk/my-contraception-tool
It is extremely important to cover all bases while planning for your travels and that includes contraception. Not only from a no-baby point of view but also in terms of regulating your periods. You don’t want to miss out on the chance of a lifetime because you’re too self-conscious having the period from hell, or find yourself on an overnight bus (with no toilet facilities) when Mother Nature decides it’s surprise period day.
Planning ahead can help you find the right contraception for you and your body, but will also ensure that you’re making the most out of your travels – worry-free. Everybody loves a surprise while travelling, just not when it’s a period or a baby.