Sexual and reproductive health profiles: statistical commentary, February 2026
Published 3 February 2026
Applies to England
漏 Crown copyright 2026
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奥丑补迟鈥檚听苍别飞
Indicators in the Sexual and Reproductive Health profile have been updated with data about the prescribing and use of contraceptives in England. The data includes prescriptions and activity undertaken by primary care and dedicated sexual and reproductive health services in England. The latest data covers 2024.听
Abortions data for听2022听and 2023听has also been added to the profile.听Further information about听Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2022听补苍诲听Abortion statistics for England and Wales: 2023听was given when the data was published.听
滨苍迟谤辞诲耻肠迟颈辞苍听
Local authorities听are required to听commission comprehensive听open access听sexual听and reproductive听health services, including free testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Services should also offer advice on and reasonable access to a broad range of contraception, and advice on preventing unplanned pregnancy.听听
Contraception is also provided in hospital outpatient clinics or in primary care (GP practices) and can be听purchased听over the counter at a pharmacy or in other retail settings.听
Contraceptive types听
Different methods of contraception are available from these settings. There is no single dataset which captures all methods of contraception across all services which provide contraception. The鈥�痗onsists of anonymised听patient-level听data, covering contraception prescribing at sexual health services. Prescribing data for primary care is available from the鈥��(NHS BSA).
Methods of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) prescribed to women include:听
- injectables:鈥痯rogestogen-only injections which typically last 8 to 12 weeks听
- implants:鈥痷nder the skin progestogen-only implants which last 3 to 5 years听
- intrauterine devices:鈥痯rogestin-releasing or copper devices, effective for 3 to 7 years depending on type听
Methods of short-acting reversible contraception prescribed to women include:听
-
combined oral contraceptives (COCs) which听contain听oestrogen and progestogen, one of the most used pills by those starting contraception for the first time听
-
progestogen-only pills (POPs) which听contain听only progestogen are also called the mini-pill and require precise daily timing for effectiveness听
An increase in the provision of LARC is used as an indicator of wider access to the range of possible contraceptive methods which should also lead to a reduction in rates of unintended pregnancy. Although injectables are classified as LARCs, they are counted separately as they rely on听timely听repeat visits within the year and so have a higher failure rate than the other LARC鈥痬ethods. However, injections are easily administered and do not require the resources and training that other LARC methods require.听
Since LARC methods are not available over the counter, the 2 data sources combined provide a听relatively comprehensive听measure of听total LARC prescribing in England. Short-acting contraceptives are, however, also available over the counter and any obtained through this route are not included in the data presented here.
Main findings听
The overall prescribing听rate听for LARC, excluding injectables,听in 2024听decreased slightly and听remains听below levels听seen before the pandemic.听The prescribing rate for short-acting听contraception听in both primary care and sexual health services听also听decreased听this year.听听听
There听was variation in鈥�LARC prescribing across England with rates of prescribing in the least deprived areas more than听30% higher than the most deprived.听Among regions, the highest rates听were听in the听South West听补苍诲听South East.听听
The prescribing of short acting contraceptives in primary care, which is听the majority of prescriptions, also follows听a similar pattern听with听deprivation.听The rate of young men and women aged under 25 using sexual health services听decreased slightly听in 2024 and remains below听levels听seen before the pandemic. This attendance rate provides a measure of access to specialist contraceptive services and is a proxy for听the reach of services targeted at young people for prevention of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy.
LARC use, excluding injectables听
The overall use of LARC, excluding injectables, has slightly decreased to a rate of 40.0听per 1,000听population听in 2024听(43.1 in 2023)听(see figure 1). This remains significantly lower than听before听the听pandemic听(49.2 per 1,000 in 2019). There was a decrease in the prescribing rate by primary care, from听25.3听in 2023听to听23.7听per 1,000 in 2024.听The prescribing rate听by听sexual health services has听also decreased from听17.8听in 2023听to 16.3听per 1,000 in 2024.听
Rates of LARC prescribing, excluding injectables,听were lowest in听London听(see figure 2). For 2024, the rate of鈥�LARC prescribing, excluding injectables,听was lower in the most deprived local authorities (32.5听per 1,000) than the least deprived (50.0听per 1,000) (see figure 3).鈥�
Figure 1: rate of prescribing for LARC, excluding injectables, in England, 2016 to 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of sexual health services data from SRHAD鈥痑nd primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA
Figure 2: rate of prescribing for LARC, excluding injectables, in England by region, 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of sexual health services data from SRHAD鈥痑nd primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA
Figure 3: rate of prescribing for LARC, excluding injectables, in England by deprivation, 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of sexual health services data from鈥�SRHAD鈥痑nd primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA
Short-acting reversible contraceptive and injectable contraceptive use听
The prescribing rates for short-acting combined reversible contraceptives from primary care and sexual health services are analysed separately. The data听is听not combined as听it听may听contain听duplicate听records听nor does it听account for contraceptives obtained from pharmacies or听over-the-counter. However, the majority are prescribed in primary care.
Rates of prescribing for short-acting combined oral contraceptives by primary care have continued to decrease from听105.7听in 2023听to听94.5听per 1,000 in 2024. A slight decrease was also observed from 9.0 to 8.3 per 1,000 when prescribed by sexual health services in the same period. However, rates听remained听substantially lower听than they were听in 2019听before the pandemic:听almost 40%听lower听when prescribed by primary care (see figure 4) and听almost听50%听lower when prescribed by听sexual health services (see figure 5).
The rates of prescribing for听progestogen-only pills and injectable contraceptives from sexual health services followed听a similar pattern to that of combined oral contraceptives from sexual health services:听a decrease during the pandemic, an increase in following years but听a听slight听decrease in听2024听(see figure 5).听Rates of prescribing by primary care continued to decline steadily (see figure 4).
Figure 4: rate of prescribing for short-acting reversible and injectable contraceptives by primary care services in England, 2016 to 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA
Figure 5: rate of prescribing for short-acting reversible and injectable contraceptives from sexual and reproductive health services in England, 2016 to 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of sexual health services data from鈥�SRHAD听
The rate of prescribing by primary care for short-acting combined oral contraceptives听was significantly lower in the most deprived local authorities (74.5听per 1,000) than the least deprived local authorities (115.6听per 1,000) (see figure 6). A similar pattern听was seen for听progestogen-only pills (see figure 7)听but the听opposite pattern听was听observed听for injectable contraceptives (see figure 8).听
Figure 6: rate of prescribing for combined oral contraceptives by primary care in England by deprivation, 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA听
Figure 7: rate of prescribing of听progestogen-only pills by primary care in England by deprivation, 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA听
Figure 8: rate of prescribing for injectable contraceptives by primary care in England by deprivation, 2024
厂辞耻谤肠别:鈥�OHID鈥痑nalysis of primary care data from鈥�NHS BSA听
Attendance at sexual health services听
The attendance rate for women under 25 at sexual health services was听95.6听per 1,000 population in 2024. It听has decreased slightly听from 102.4 in 2023听补苍诲听remains听below the pre-pandemic level of 133.4 per 1,000 in 2019. The attendance rate for men under 25 at sexual health services has also听decreased to听12.4听per 1,000 population听in 2024 from 14.2 in 2023.听This听remains听below the level of 20.0 per 1,000听before the pandemic听in 2019.听
In 2024, for both men and women, there听was regional variation in attendance rates, with the highest rates in the听North West听(118.3听per 1,000 women)听补苍诲听the听East Midlands (19.0听per 1,000 men) and lowest in the听West Midlands听(51.1听per 1,000 women)听补苍诲听North East听(6.6听per 1,000 men).听
For further information or queries about this update, please contact鈥�pha-ohid@dhsc.gov.uk.