A DIY contraceptive jab is being offered to women by the NHS for the first time.

It will be available from GPs and family planning clinics as an alternative to the pill, which many people can forget to take.

Women will be shown how to inject it into their thighs or stomach before being given a year's supply.

The injection, called Sayana Press, lasts 12 to 14 weeks and needs topping up at home every three months.

A new website's being launched with advice and guides on self-injection.

There will also be alerts to remind women when they're due their next dose.

The jab works by changing hormone levels to stop women releasing eggs.

It also changes the lining of the womb and thickens the entrance, making it harder for sperm to get in and to support fertilised eggs.

It can also help deal with irregular periods.

After a year, 60% of users should have little or no bleeding.

The company behind the jab hopes it'll be more convenient for women than regular trips to the GP.

Pfizer's Seema Patel says: "We appreciate that many women are very busy and that visiting their healthcare professional regularly to pick up their contraception can be a challenge."

Side-effects can include weight changes, cramps and acne and sickness.

Others suffer depression, breast pain and in rare cases, bone thinning.

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