My Health

Sexual Health

Having good sexual health will enable you to remain healthy, make choices regarding the use of contraception and know where to go to access sexual health services.

 

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What are the benefits of enjoying good sexual health and healthy relationships?

Having good sexual health will enable you to remain healthy, make choices regarding the use of contraception and know where to go to access sexual health services. You can choose whether to have sex, and should not feel pressured into sex. Healthy relationships can make you feel happy, fulfilled and can give you a sense of well being.

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What's going on in my local area to help me?

If you need contraception you can visit your local GP practices, who can provide advice and information on sexual health and many forms of contraception. You can also visit Family Planning Clinics which are located across Cardiff.

The Integrated Sexual Health service incorporates both the Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) and Family Planning services and offers testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections alongside contraception advice and pregnancy testing. The service is based at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary and has a variety of walk-in clinics during the week as well as a young persons (under 19 years) clinic. Call 029 2033 5208 for information.

C-Card Scheme

Young people aged 13-25 years can access free, confidential sexual health advice and FREE condoms from the Cardiff Condom-Card (C-Card) Scheme. This scheme operates across Cardiff, mainly from youth centres and voluntary organisations. To find out more information about where the c-card scheme operates, email the Cardiff Local Public Health Team or call 029 20556029.

See the websites listed above for more detailed information about local services and advice on sexual health.

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Where can I get emergency contraception?

Emergency contraception can be taken up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex and can prevent pregnancy. It is a pill which is also incorrectly known as the 'morning after pill'.

You can access emergency contraception from any GP who provides contraceptive services, family planning clinics or integrated sexual health service clinic. If you are registered with a GP you can also access it using the 'Out of hours' service.

You can also purchase emergency contraception from some specially trained pharmacists at a cost of around £30.

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National Dates: Sexual Health

14 January 2011

STiQ Day.

www.stiq.co.uk


14 February 2011

Think About Sex Day, Sexual Dysfunction Association.

www.sda.uk.net


14 - 18 February 2011

Contraceptive Awareness Week, Family Planning Association.

www.fpa.org.uk


1 - 31 March 2011

Prostate cancer Awareness Month, Prostate Cancer Awareness.

www.prostate-cancer.org.uk


1 - 31 March 2011

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Ovarian Cancer Action.

www.ovarian.org.uk


7 April 2011

World Health Day, World Health Organisation.

www.who.int/world-health-day


11 - 15 April 2011

National Allergy Week, Allergy UK.

www.allergyuk.org


1 - 31 May 2011

Save a Baby Month, The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

www.sids.org.uk


5 May 2011

International Day of the Midwife.

www.internationalmidwives.org


17 May 2011

World Hypertension Day, World Hypertension League.

www.worldhypertensionleague.org


6 - 11 June 2011

Tampon Alert Week, Tampon Alert.

www.tamponalert.org.uk


13 - 19 June 2011

National Men's Health Week, Men's Health Forum.

www.menshealthforum.org.uk


19 - 25 June 2011

Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk


1 - 7 August 2011

World Breastfeeding Week, World Health Organisation.

www.who.int


1 - 30 September 2011

"Let's Talk Baby", Tommy's.

www.tommys.org


9 September 2011

International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness day, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Aware UK.

www.fasaware.co.uk


13 - 19 September 2011

Sexual Health Week, Family Planning Assciation.

www.fpa.org.uk


1 - 31 October 2011

Breast Cancer Awareness month, Breast Cancer Care.

www.breastcancercare.org.uk


1 - 30 November 2011

Movember, The Prostate Cancer Charity.

uk.movember.com


1 December 2011

World AIDS Day, National AIDS Trust.

www.worldaidsday.org


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Did you know

  •    You are entitled to review your medications with your local pharmacist free of charge.
  •    A healthy balanced diet, taking more exercise and losing weight if necessary may delay the onset of diabetes.
  •    Young people aged 13-25 years can access free, confidential sexual health advice and condoms from the Cardiff Condom-Card (C-Card) Scheme.
  •    A reduction in dietary salt intake from 9g to 6g could reduce blood pressure.
  •    In England and Wales, alcohol misuse leads to some 33,000 hospital admissions each year for alcohol-related liver disease.
  •    Improving your diet could prevent an estimated third of cancers.
  •    Over 40% of 5 year olds in Cardiff have one or more decayed teeth.
  •    Currently, over half of the population of Cardiff are reported to be overweight or obese.
  •    If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who hasn't been drinking.
  •    A healthy balance diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight have been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of hypertension.
  •    Obesity is associated with a reduction in life expectancy of approximately 9 years.
  •    Regular exercise can really help if you're feeling depressed, stressed or anxious.
  •    A diet rich in fruit and vegetables decreases the risk of coronary heart disease.
  •    Of the people alive today, 650 million will eventually be killed by tobacco.
  •    An extra portion of fruit and vegetables per day could decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by 4% and stroke by 6%.
  •    If you are regularly physically active, you are 50% less likely of becoming obese.
  •    Nearly £2000 a year could be saved by quitting smoking 20 cigarettes per day.
  •    If you are regularly physically active, you are approximately 50% less likely to develop coronary health disease than those who do not exercise.
  •    By taking regular physical activity you are at reduced risk of developing osteoporosis.
  •    Smoking during pregnancy has been identified as a cause of cot death.
  •    In Wales, the total cost of physical inactivity to the health service and the economy as a whole is estimated at around £650 million per year.
  •    6,000 deaths from coronary heart disease in men each year are directly due to alcohol.
  •    Only 26% of adults in Cardiff undertake the recommended 5 x 30 minutes exercise per week.

Useful Downloads

» Family Planning and Cytology Clinics (pdf)