• Contraception is not needed in the first 20 days after delivery, but is required from day 21 if the woman is not fully breastfeeding and does not want to become pregnant.
• Women who are breastfeeding and are < 6 weeks postpartum
• Methods that can be used without restriction: lactational amenorrhoea method (if fully or almost fully breastfeeding and amenorrhoeic), progestogen-only pill, progestogen-only implants, copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (IUS) (use within 48 hours or from 4 weeks after delivery), and barrier methods.
• The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends that the IUD and IUS be inserted at least 4 weeks after delivery.
• Methods that can generally be used (advantages generally outweigh the risks): progestogen-only injectables.
• Methods that are not usually recommended (risks usually outweigh the advantages): copper IUDs (from 48 hours up to 4 weeks after delivery) and the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS (from 48 hours up to 4 weeks after delivery).
• Methods that should not be used (because of unacceptable health risk): combined oral contraceptives (COCs), combined contraceptive patch, and combined contraceptive vaginal ring.
• Fertility awareness–based methods: a previous user can start from day 21, but a new user should delay learning to use the method until her periods start.
• Sterilization is usually delayed until the woman is 6 weeks or more postpartum.
• Women who are fully or almost fully breastfeeding and are between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum
• Methods that can be used without restriction: lactational amenorrhoea method (if amenorrhoeic), progestogen-only pill, progestogen-only injectables and implants, copper IUDs, levonorgestrel-releasing IUS, barrier methods, and sterilization.
• Fertility awareness–based methods: a previous user can start, but a new user should delay learning to use the method until her periods start.
• Methods that are not usually recommended: COCs, combined contraceptive patch, and combined contraceptive vaginal ring.
• Women who are not fully or almost fully breastfeeding and are between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum
• Methods that can be used without restriction: progestogen-only pill, progestogen-only injectables and implants, copper IUDs, the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS, barrier methods, and sterilization.
• Methods that can generally be used (advantages generally outweigh the risks): COCs, combined contraceptive patch, and combined contraceptive vaginal patch.
• Fertility awareness–based methods: a previous user can start, but a new user should delay learning to use the method until her periods start.
• There are no methods that should not be used (because of unacceptable health risk).
• For women who are breastfeeding and are 6 months or more postpartum
• Methods that can be used without restriction: COCs, combined contraceptive patch, combined contraceptive vaginal ring, progestogen-only pill, progestogen-only injectables and implants, copper IUDs, the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS, barrier methods, and sterilization.
• Fertility awareness–based methods: a previous user can start, but a new user should delay learning to use the method until her periods start.
• The lactational amenorrhoea method does not provide adequate protection from unplanned pregnancy after 6 months postpartum.
• For women who have had a recent delivery and are not breastfeeding, see Postpartum (not breastfeeding).

In depth