Contraception Flashcards
What is the reproductive lifespan of a man?
10-12 years old until death as long as vas deferens intact and able to ejaculate
Emergency contraception: Highest probability at what time of the month?
Highest probability of conception is 1-2 days before ovulation
What are the drugs that are available for emergency contraception?
4
- Plan B: levonorgestrel 0.75 mg two pills to be taken 12 hrs apart. Can be taken up to 24 hours apart
- Plan B One Step or Next Choice One Dose and other branded generics: a single levonorgestrel 150 mg pill
- Ella: ulipristal 30 mg: Single dose; prescription
- Formulated using a variety of combination oral contraceptives to achieve ethinyl estradiol 100 mcg and levonorgestrel 0.5 mg, 2 doses in 12 hours (Yuzpe 1974) - Oral Hormonal EC (Levonorgestrel)
Levonorgestrel: SE?
3
Effective up to how long after the event but take as soon as possible?
- N 24% & V 9% (higher with use of combined oral contraceptives or the Yuzpe method)
- irregular bleeding the month after treatment
- less common: dizziness, fatigue, HA, breast tenderness,
Effective up to 120 hours after the event but take as soon as possible*
Emergency contraception: Pregnancy should be excluded before administration of what?
2
- ulipristal or
2. insertion of Cu IUD
EC Mechanism of Action
- Oral methods?
- Copper IUD? 2
- Use of ORAL HORMONAL EC affects an already pregnant woman how? 2
- Oral methods: Inhibiting or delaying ovulation
- Levonorgestrel is ineffective after ovulation has occurred - Copper IUD:
- Interfering with fertilization or tubal transport
- Preventing implantation by altering endometrial receptivity - does not interrupt a pregnancy and
- has no known adverse effects on pregnancy or fetus
EC counseling:
4
- Obtain pregnancy test if no menses 3-4 weeks after EC
- Discuss risk of pregnancy and STIs with unprotected sex
- Encourage patient to start a regular contraceptive method or review correct use of current one
- EC is a back-up,not a primary contraceptive method
Considerations for Choosing a Contraceptive Method
7
- Efficacy (failure rate)
- Safety (risks with consideration of health history)
- Side effects (to include effect on menses)
- Convenience ( correct use and access to care)
- Cost
- Personal lifestyle and pattern of sexual activity
- Reversibility
What are the categories for contraception?
4
- Hormonal
- IUD (IUC)
- Barrier
- Permanent
Contraception Failure
is often due to?
3
- Inappropriate use
- Failure to use (influence of cost and access)
- Failure of method (“correct use” failure rate)
What are the hormonal methods of contraception? 6
- Oral pills
- Transdermal patch
- Injections
- Intrauterine devices
- Subdermal implants
- Intravaginal
OCP: MOA?
The influence of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol):
2
- SUPPRESSION of GnRH (Hypothalamus)
2. Stabilizes endometrium to minimize breakthrough bleeding
What does the suppression of GnRH in the hypothalamus lead to that works in contraception?
4
- INHIBITS the midcycle surge of gonadotropin LH
- PREVENTS ovulation
- SUPPRESSES FSH secretion
- PREVENTS ovarian folliculogenesis
- What are considered low dose OCP doses?
2. High doses?
- “Low dose” 20 or 30 or 35 mcg
2. “High dose” 50 mcg
OCP: Mechanism of Action
Influence of progestin (a 19-nortestosterone or drospirenone)?
4
- Suppresses LH secretion and therefore, suppresses ovulation (less potent than estradiol)
- Thickens cervical mucus which inhibits sperm migration
- Creates an atrophic endometrium unfavorable to implantation
- Impairs normal tubal motility/ peristalsis
Progestin Component
Several progestins (typical dose 0.15-1 mg):
1. Older more androgenic ones? 3
2. Advantage?
- Newer progestestins (less androgenic effects)? 3
- Advantage? 2
- Possible increase of what?
Older more androgenic ones
- Norethindrone,
- norethindrone acetate,
- levonorgestrel
- Lower HDL cholesterol
Newer progestins—less androgenic effects
- Norgestimate,
- desogestrel,
- drospirenone
- Less effect on carbohydrate & lipid metabolism
- More effective at reducing acne & hirsutism
- Possibly increased risk of thromboembolism
Examples of Progestins
1. First generation? 2
- Second generation? 2
- Third generation? 3
- Unclassified? 1
- First generation:
- Norethindrone (acetate),
- ethynodiol diacetate - Second generation:
- Levonorgestrel and
- dl-Norgestrel (higher androgenic but more effective than 3rd in countering thrombotic effects of estrogen) - Third generation:
- desogestrel (? Increased of VTE)
- norgestimate - Unclassified:
- drospirenone (in Yasmin and Yaz) less androgenic but risk of VTE up to 3x compared to levonorgestrel (FDA revised label in 2012)
Other Advantages of New Progestins
4
- Higher HDL cholesterol/lower LDL cholesterol
- Higher sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which results in decreased free testosterone levels and estrogen effects)
- Greater affinity to progesterone binding sites
- Reduced amenorrhea
*OCP: Non-contraceptive Use *
9
- Endometriosis: reduce pelvic pain
- Treatment for acne or hirsutism
- Treatment for heavy, painful or irregular menstrual periods
- Reduce occurrence of recurrent ovarian cysts
- PCOS (acne, hirsutism, unopposed estrogen influence to endometrium)
- PMS/PMDD
- Decreased risk of ovarian cancer
- Decreased risk of colon cancer
- Decrease menstrual migraine (with continuous or extended cycle)
Higher Dose Estrogen Pills
50mcg
- Spotting or absence of withdrawal bleeding cannot be managed on what?
- Treatment of other problems? 2
- lower dose pill
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Reduce recurrent ovarian cysts
OCP Preparations
4
- Monophasic
- Multiphasic (biphasic or triphasic)
- Extended cycle (withdrawal flow every 12 weeks)
- Progestin-only pill (POP or “mini-pill”)
OCP cycles? 3
- 21 days on, 7 days off (most formulations)
- 24 days on, 4 days off (drospirenone containing forms)
- 84 days on, 7 days off—extended cycle
Who uses the 84 days on, 7 days off—extended cycle specifically? 3
(Seasonale, Introvale, and Quasense (estradiol & levonorgestrel) 84 days of active pills and 7 days of placebo.)
Use:
- patients w/ endometriosis,
- premenstrual dysphoric disorder and
- women who prefer less frequent menses
Choosing a Pill Formulation
1. Typically start with _______ in a younger or less compliant patient but generally it doesn’t matter much
- ____________ women are usually started on a lower estradiol pill
- Androgenic influence of ___________ may be taken into consideration
- Breastfeeding women?
If they have used a formulation in the past that’s worked, be reluctant to mess with success!
- monophasic
- Perimenopausal
- progestin
- progesterone only pill
Three methods for starting for COC
- Quick Start: start the day of RX regardless of day of cycle once pregnancy is ruled out
- “Sunday” Start: start 1st Sunday after period begins
- Start 1st day of menses
With Quick Start or Sunday Start, must use backup method for _________ after starting the pill
A what should be started in first 5 days of menses?
7 days
progesterone only pill (POP)
Contraceptive Patch
Ortho-Evra
1. Transdermal patch— changed how often?
- Delivers constant level of 20 mcg ____________ and 150 mcg of ____________ daily
- Resultant serum levels of ___ 66% higher than 35 mcg oral pill. In 2008, FDA revised labeling to state possible higher risk of thromboembolism.
- every 7 days for 3 weeks and then1 week off for menses
- ethinyl estradiol, norelgestromin
- EE
Vaginal Ring
(NuvaRing)
1. Delivers 15 mcg _________ and 120 mcg _________ daily for 3 weeks intravaginally
- Remove for ______ then insert new one
- If it falls out or needs to be removed, rinse with cold or warm (not hot) water and reinsert when?
- estradiol, estonogestrel
- 1 week
- within 3 hours
Absolute Contraindications for Estrogen Contraception
13
- Hx of thromboembolic event or stroke or known thrombogenic mutation (Factor V Leiden)
- Known CVD, cardiomyopathy,
- BP 160/100 or greater,
- complicated valvular heart disease
- SLE with positive antiphospholipid antibodies
- Women 35 or older who smoke
- Migraines with aura
- Women 35 or older with migraines
- Hx of cholestatic jaundice with pill use
- Hepatic carcinoma or benign adenoma; any active liver disease or severe cirrhosis
- Breast cancer (current)
- First 21 days postpartum (increased risk of clotting)
- Undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding
Careful consideration before use of Estrogen
9
- HTN (less than 35 yo, nonsmoker, evaluate cumulative risk factors for CAD/stroke)
- Anticonvulsant therapy (see drug interactions)
- Migraines without aura (less than 35 yo,evaluate cumulative risk factors for CAD/stroke)
- Diabetes (evaluate cumulative risk factors for CAD/stroke)
- Hx of bariatric surgery with malabsorptive procedure like
- Roux en Y (possible decreased efficacy with oral pills)
- Psychotic depression
- Ulcerative colitis (may increase with years of use)
- Obese, > 35 yo
Hormonal Pills, Patch and Ring
Failure rates
1. Theoretical/Correct use?
2. Typical use?
- less than 1%
2. 9%
HC Side Effects
8
- Nausea/bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Spotting/ break through bleeding (BTB): most common (10-30% in first three months)
- Amenorrhea (about 5% after several years; more common with 20 mcg estradiol pill) (Goal with extended or continuous delivery.)
- Fatigue
- Headache: may occur in early cycles and generally improve with subsequent cycles
- Depression/moodiness
- Decreased libido
- Early/Acute SE of HC? 4
- What is the most common SE of HC?
- This is independant of what?
- Early SE:
- Bloating,
- nausea,
- breast tenderness, &
- mood changes (do not cause weight gain) - Breakthrough bleeding
- Most common side effect - Independent of progestin
- Can add extra estrogen or switch to more estrogenic progestin
How should we treat amenorrhea with HC?
try preparation w/ more estrogen