| Contraception |
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What is contraception? Remember only condoms offer protection from both unintended pregnancy and STIs, even if you are using another method of contraception. When choosing contraception you should consider:
Oral Contraceptive Pill There are many types of combined pills available. They differ in the level of hormones and the type and level of the progestogen they contain.The Pill works by: preventing ovulation (release of egg from the ovary); thickening the mucus of the cervix so that sperm cannot enter the uterus; changes the lining of the uterus, making it unsuitable for pregnancy. The Pill is 97-99% effective when taken correctly. This means that if 100 women take the Pill, between one and three of those women could become pregnant in a year. It is less effective than this if not taken according to instructions. Some of the advantages of oral contraception are if you suffer from heavy periods, painful periods “the pill” may assisted in reducing these side affects, Fertility after stopping oral contraception returns soon after. The Pill does not protect from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
NuvaRing is inserted by squeezing the ring between your thumb and index finger into the vagina where it is left for 3 weeks out of 4 weeks and removed for 1 week where a period is had similar to the sugar pills in the oral contraceptive then a new NuvaRing is inserted. If inserted correctly, most women cannot feel the ring once it is in their vagina but who see your doctor to show you how to insert the NuvaRing correctly. If you forget to insert the NuvaRing you have a 24 hour window to insert it, or if you remove it at any time for longer than 3 hours, insert it as soon as you remember and use another form of contraception for seven days (eg condoms). If used correctly, NuvaRing is around 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. If inserted on the first day of the menstrual cycle, or immediately after ceasing use of the combined oral contraceptive pill, Implanon or Depo, it is effective immediately. If inserted later in the cycle, NuvaRing takes seven days to become effective. NuvaRing is suitable for most women. Women who have difficulty remembering to take daily contraception may prefer this method. It is also a good alternative for women who are uncomfortable using more invasive methods of contraception such as implants or intrauterine devices. NuvaRing is available on a prescription only from your doctor and is priced from about $20-$30 at the chemist. The NuvaRing does not protect from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
Depo works by: preventing ovulation (egg release from the ovary); thickening of the mucus of the cervix so that sperm cannot enter the uterus; changes the lining of the uterus, making it unsuitable for pregnancy. Most women can use depo. Periods often become irregular and sometimes last longer, but heavy bleeding is not very common. You could have continual light bleeding for some weeks or find that your periods stop altogether. The longer you use Depo the more likely it is that your periods will stop, or you may just have an occasional light period. If you decide to use Depo after having a baby, it is best to have your first injection five to six weeks after the birth. If it is given earlier than that, bleeding may be heavy or last longer. It is safe to use Depo while you are breastfeeding, 'though you should be aware that small amounts of the hormone will go through to the baby in the breast milk but will not affect the quality or quantity of the breast milk. It is important that you keep on having injections every 12 weeks to make sure you do not get pregnant. After the 12 weeks, you have two weeks to have your injection before there is an extra risk of pregnancy. Depo is only available on prescription from your doctor and costs between $10-25 from the chemist. Depo does not protect from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
Implanon works by: preventing ovulation (egg release from the ovary); thickening of the mucus of the cervix so that sperm cannot enter the uterus; changing the lining of the uterus, making it unsuitable for pregnancy. Some of the side effects of Implanon are: periods stopping completely; rregular periods or spot bleeding; rolonged bleeding (this is usually light, but can cause inconvenience to women; heavy bleeding; small weight gain in some women; headaches & acne; decreased sexual interest for some women; mood changes; breast tenderness. Implanon is around 99.9% effective. The Implanon implant needs to be replaced with a new implant every three years. After three years, the effectiveness reduces and there is a small increase in the risk of a pregnancy occurring in the Fallopian tube.
The IUD works by: thickening the mucus of the cervix so that sperm cannot enter the uterus ; changing the lining of the uterus, making it unsuitable for pregnancy; preventing sperm from moving through the uterus and from fertilizing ova (eggs); preventing implantation of a fertilized ovum (egg); It is best advised that you talk to your doctor as to whether not the IUD is suitable for you. The IUD is suitable for women who: have heavy painful periods; wish to use an effective long-term method of contraception in particularly if you have already had a child but to have a space of 2 or more years between pregnancies; are approaching menopause. The IUD is only available on perscrption from a doctor or gynaecologists but only doctors or gynaecologists who have had special training in inserting IUD’s can insert the device. The IUD device itself costs around $30.00 from the chemist but as stated above a doctor who has had special training can only insert the device and there maybe a larger than usual doctors fee involved. The IUD does not protect from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
Diaphragms are generally only available from any Family Planning Clinic and also available for purchase at around $65-$80 in various different sizes and it is extremely important that you are fitted by a professional (this service is available from any Family Planning Clinic). Diaphragms do not protect against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
When used correctly, the female condom can be up to 95% effective as a contraceptive method. If not used correctly and consistently, the failure rate will be higher. Availability of female condoms is limited. Contact a Sexual Health or Family Planning clinic for information on availability.
Condoms are the only contraceptive method that offers protection from both unintended pregnancy and STI’s. Male condoms work by acting as a physical barrier that stops body fluids (eg semen, vaginal fluids) passing between sexual partners More information about sterilisation is available from a health professional or doctor. Sterilisation does not protect you against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s).
“The withdrawal method”
Information on this page has been sourced from: http://www.fpq.com.au Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 March 2008 17:50 |