Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Amenorrhoea
- Having no periods.
- BMI (body mass index)
- A measure of weight relative to height, used in deciding whether some contraceptives are safe.
- BMS (British Menopause Society)
- The UK specialist society for menopause care, which publishes consensus statements and Tools for Clinicians.
- BRCA1 and BRCA2
- Genes which, when altered, greatly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
- CHC (combined hormonal contraception)
- The combined pill, patch or ring, containing an oestrogen and a progestogen.
- CoSRH (College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare)
- The UK professional body for sexual and reproductive healthcare, formerly the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. It publishes national contraception guidelines.
- CQC (Care Quality Commission)
- The independent regulator of health and adult social care in England.
- Cu-IUD (copper intrauterine device)
- A non-hormonal device placed in the womb that prevents pregnancy; also the most effective emergency contraception.
- DMPA (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate)
- The progestogen-only contraceptive injection, given every 13 weeks.
- Endometrial protection
- Giving enough progestogen to stop oestrogen from causing overgrowth or cancer of the womb lining.
- Enzyme inducer
- A medicine or herbal product that speeds up how the liver breaks down some hormones, making some contraceptives less effective.
- FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
- A hormone that rises as the ovaries stop working; a blood test is sometimes used to help decide when contraception can stop.
- GMC (General Medical Council)
- The regulator of doctors in the UK.
- GP (general practitioner)
- The patient's registered family doctor.
- GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council)
- The regulator of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Great Britain.
- HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
- Oestrogen, usually with a progestogen, used to relieve menopausal symptoms. It is not a contraceptive.
- IU/L (international units per litre)
- The unit used to report FSH blood test results.
- LNG-IUS (levonorgestrel intrauterine system)
- A hormone-releasing device placed in the womb. The 52 mg version provides contraception and can protect the womb lining during HRT. CoSRH now calls it an LNG-IUD (levonorgestrel intrauterine device).
- NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)
- The body that publishes national clinical guidelines for England, including NG23 on the menopause.
- NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council)
- The regulator of nurses and midwives in the UK.
- Off-label
- Use of a licensed medicine or device in a way not covered by its licence, for example for longer than the licensed duration.
- Perimenopause
- The years around the menopause when periods become irregular, lasting until 12 months after the final period.
- POI (premature ovarian insufficiency)
- Loss of normal ovarian function before the age of 40. Pregnancy is still possible.
- POP (progestogen-only pill)
- A contraceptive pill containing only a progestogen, sometimes called the mini pill.
- Progestogen
- A hormone similar to progesterone, used in contraception and to protect the womb lining in HRT.
- Reproductive coercion
- Behaviour that controls a person's decisions about pregnancy or contraception, such as sabotaging contraception. It is a form of domestic abuse.
- SOP (standard operating procedure)
- A step-by-step document describing how a task is carried out.
- STI (sexually transmitted infection)
- An infection passed on through sexual contact.
- UK (United Kingdom)
- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- UK GDPR (UK General Data Protection Regulation)
- The UK law, alongside the Data Protection Act 2018, governing how personal information is used and protected.
- UKMEC (UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use)
- The CoSRH classification (current edition UKMEC 2025) of how safe each contraceptive method is for people with particular medical conditions.
- VTE (venous thromboembolism)
- A blood clot in a vein, such as a deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism.
- Care Quality Commission assessment framework
- The CQC's framework of key questions and quality statements used to assess registered services.
- Data Protection Act 2018
- The UK law that sits alongside the UK GDPR on the use of personal data.
- Duty of candour
- The legal duty under Regulation 20 to be open and honest with a patient when a notifiable safety incident occurs.
- Equality Act 2010
- The law protecting people from discrimination on grounds including sex, gender reassignment, age and disability.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The regulations setting the fundamental standards that CQC-registered providers must meet.
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012
- The main UK law on the licensing, supply and prescribing of medicines.
- Records Management Code of Practice (2023)
- National guidance on how long health and care records are kept and how they are managed.
- Ulipristal acetate and levonorgestrel
- The two emergency contraceptive pills available in the UK.
- Virilisation
- Development of male characteristics, which testosterone can cause in a female fetus.