More demand for contraception-related services in Luton
Sexual and reproductive health services in Luton had more appointments to discuss contraception options last year, new figures show.
It comes despite the overall number of contraception-related contacts across England falling by 9 per cent.
Sexual health experts warned there is a "postcode lottery" in access to contraception services across the country.
New figures published by NHS England show sexual and reproductive health services in Luton recorded 2,365 contraception-related contacts in 2024-25, up 42 per cent from 1,665 the previous year.
All figures are rounded to the nearest five.
Meanwhile across England these services recorded a 9 per cent fall, from about 1.07 million in 2023-24 to nearly 976,000 last year.
However this change was not felt the same everywhere. While the East of England recorded a 20 per cent drop, followed by the North East with a 19 per cent decrease, the North West and Yorkshire and The Humber were the only two regions where the number increased, by 2 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.
The NHS England figures also show the contraceptive pill remained the most popular type of contraception for sexual and reproductive health service users.
Some 31 per cent of women using the services for contraception were taking the pill last year, up from 28 per cent in 2023-24.
While it remained below the 39 per cent observed in 2020-21, experts said this could result from progesterone-only pills becoming available to purchase at pharmacies without prescription from July 2021.
Long-acting reversible contraceptives such as the implant and IU system were taken by 51 per cent of women in contact with services for contraception last year, a slight drop from 54 per cent in 2023-24.
In Luton, 33 per cent of women in contact with sexual and reproductive health services for contraception had the pill as their main contraception method, and 51 per cent had long-acting reversible contraceptives.
Bekki Burbidge, information specialist at the Family Planning Association, said: "Years of underfunding means that women often struggle to access convenient appointments and their preferred contraception method.
"Specialist services are often the only place to get the most effective long-acting methods such as the implant and IUD – and there can be a long wait for an appointment."
The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment.