Contraception Flashcards
What is perfect use failure rate of the pill?
0.3%
What is perfect use and typical failure rate of condoms?
2% and 15%
What are the UK MEC classifications?
- No restriction
- Advantages outweigh risks
- Risk outweighs advantages (requires expert judgement or referral to specialist)
- Unacceptable health risk
What to include when counselling on contraception?
- Method Use
- “Missed rules”
- Reasons for method failure, drug interactions
- Side effects
- Serious symptoms to report
What are the three combined methods?
Pill
Patch
Ring
What is mode of action of combined methods?
Main - Oestrogen and progestogen prevent pituitary release of FSH and LH – no ovulation
Added - Endometrial effects prevent implantation and cervical mucous changes exclude sperm
How to take combined pill?
Take pill for 21 days, then 7-day break (or ED, 28 days)
How to use combined patch?
Patch stuck onto skin (1 per week for 3 weeks, 1 week off) Alternate site each week.
How to use combined ring?
Flexible ring worn for 21 days then discarded, new ring inserted 1 week later. Flexible and easy to insert/remove.
Common side effects of combined contraception?
Nausea, mastalgia, headache, initial irregular bleeding
Benefits of combined methods?
Decrease in PID, ovarian cysts, ovarian and uterine cancer.
Control of bleeding
Reduction in benign breast disease
Risks of combined methods?
Increased risk of VTE, Stroke and MI (in smokers) Ca breast (small) Ca cervix (x2 at 10 years)
Contraindications of combined methods?
Smoking >35 yrs >15 day BP >160/95 or >160/90 Migraine with aura Vascular disease (inc. CVA) History of VTE Congenital heart disease Breast Cancer Liver disease
Interactions of combined methods?
P450 inducers
Phenytoin, phenoarbitone and carbamazepine
Rifampicin
Some antiretrovirals (HIV)
St John’s Wort
Ways combined pill may be ineffective?
Not taking pills accurately
Vomiting within 3 hours of taking
Diarrhoea
What counts as a missed dose for the COCP? What should you do?
Missed = >24 hours late
Two or more pills missed –> use condoms or abstain for 7 days
If missed in first week –> EC
Mistakes in last week –> run packs together
What is a missed dose of the combined patch?
Sufficient hormone for 9 days
Assume lost cover is same patch on for >9 days.
Assume cover lost if patch has fallen off and not been replaced in 24 hours
What is a missed dose of the combined ring?
If ring is out for more than 3 hours or more than once a cycle, contraceptive efficacy is lost
Extended ring free week = lost efficacy
Starting combined method? (normal circumstances)
- Anytime if no pregnancy -condoms for 7days
* Day 1-5 – effective immediately - unless very short cycle (<23 days condoms 7 days)
Starting combined method? (post-partum)
Day 21 no condoms
Day 22 – 28 use condom for 7 days.
After day 28, must exclude pregnancy
Starting combined method? (post-TOP or miscarriage)
<24 weeks- straight away, no condoms or any time if no further risk of pregnancy.
> 24 weeks- day 21, no condoms or after day 21, condoms for 7days
General mode of action of progesterone only methods?
- Prevent ovulation, thicken cervical mucus and reduce endometrial receptivity
- Importance of each varies with each method
- Uses synthetic progestogens (hormone is progesterone)
Difference in MoA between traditional POP and desogestrel?
Deso prevents ovulation, POP may prevent ovulation
Main method of action of implant?
Prevent ovulation
Main method of action of mirena coil?
Thicken cervical mucus
Reduce endometrial receptivity
Local effect of foreign body on uterus
Main method of action of depo?
Prevent ovulation
How to take POP?
Taken continuously, 1 pill a day each day
How implant is administered
Single subdermal implant
What is mirena coil?
IUS - levongestrel
How is depot administered?
IM injection to buttock/thigh/arm
Side effects of progesterone only methods?
Bleeding irregularities (unpredictable)
Progestogen side effects = headaches, mood changes, weight gain, acne