Contraceptives Flashcards
What is the purpose of contraception?
Contraception is used for voluntary control of fertility.
What factors should be considered when choosing a method of contraception?
1) Efficacy
2) Safety
3) Potential non-contraceptive benefits
4) Cost
5) Personal considerations
What are the characteristics of an ideal contraceptive?
1) Highly effective (100%)
2) No side effects or risks
3) Affordable
4) Independent of sexual intercourse
5) Require no regular action by the user
6) Non-contraceptive benefits
7) Acceptable to all cultures and religions
8) Easily distributed and administered by non-healthcare personnel
9) Completely reversible
Why is the reversibility of a contraceptive method important?
Because it allows a person to regain fertility if they decide to conceive.
Why do all contraceptive methods have a chance of failure?
Due to factors such as:
1) How the method works
2) How easy it is to use correctly and consistently
How can the effectiveness of a contraceptive method vary?
Due to poor use or user failure, such as forgetting to take pills in the case of oral contraceptives.
How is the efficacy of contraceptive methods measured?
By the long-term evaluation of a group of sexually active women using a method over a specified period to observe how frequently pregnancy occurs, often using the Pearl Index formula.
What is the Pearl formula?
A calculation of pregnancy rates per 100 women per year.
(Number of pregnancies/total number of months contributed by all couples) x 1,200
What are some types of contraception?
1) Natural methods
2) Combined contraception
3) Progestogen-only contraception
4) Barrier methods
5) Intrauterine devices
6) Emergency contraception
7) Sterilization
What is lactational amenorrhea?
Lactational amenorrhea is the natural postpartum infertility that occurs when a woman is fully breastfeeding and remains amenorrhoeic.
What is the natural method of contraception?
Abstinence from intercourse during the fertile period of the menstrual cycle
How is lactational amenorrhea related to contraception?
It delays the resumption of fertility and can be used as a natural contraceptive method, especially in areas where modern methods may be expensive.
How is the success of the natural method determined?
On the accurate prediction of ovulation
Why might some couples choose the natural method of contraception?
For cultural and religious reasons, as it may be the only type of contraception acceptable to them.
What does natural family planning involve?
1) Ovulation prediction
2) Monitoring changes in basal body temperature
3) Changes in cervical mucus
4) Tracking cycle days
What tools can assist with natural family planning?
1) Kits, such as Persona
2) Tracking urinary hormones
What hormones are found in combined hormonal contraception?
Estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) + Progestogen
What are the different generations of combined hormonal contraception?
1) Second
2) Third
3) Fourth
Which drugs are second generation combined hormonal contraceptives?
1) Nortestosterone
2) Levonorgestrel
Which drugs are third generation combined hormonal contraceptives?
1) Desogestrel
2) Gestodene
Which drugs are fourth generation combined hormonal contraceptives?
Anti-androgenics such as:
1) Drospirenone
2) Dienogest
What is the failure rate (FR) of combined hormonal contraception?
0.3%
What are some positive health benefits of using combined hormonal contraception?
1) Light pain-free regular bleeds
2) Improvement of premenstrual syndrome
3) Reduced risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
4) Long-term protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer
5) Treatment of acne
6) Reduction in the formation of benign ovarian cysts
7) Improvement of endometriosis.
What are the cardiovascular risks associated with combined hormonal contraception?
A 3-4 fold increase in venous thromboembolism (VTE)
When is the risk for VTE’s highest with combined hormonal contraception?
During the first year of use
Which factors increase the risk for VTE’s with combined hormonal contraception?
1) Obesity
2) History of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) also increase the risk
How does combined hormonal contraception affect the risk of ischemic stroke?
Two-fold increase
How does combined hormonal contraception affect the risk of hemorrhagic stroke?
Unchanged
Arterial diseases associated with combined hormonal contraception are __(less/more) common but __ (less/more) serious.
Arterial diseases are LESS common but MORE serious
Arterial disease risks associated with combined hormonal contraception are related to:
1) Age
2) Smoking
Arterial disease risks associated with combined hormonal contraception are increased with which generation?
Second
True or False: Lower doses of estrogen do not increase the risk of arterial disease.
True
How does combined hormonal contraception affect the risk of breast cancer?
Small increase in breast cancer risk
How does combined hormonal contraception affect the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer?
> 50% reduction in ovarian and endometrial cancer risk
Combined hormonal contraception’s protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer is related to ____ and lasts ___.
The duration of use; For 15 years after stopping the pill.
How does combined hormonal contraception affect the risk of cervical cancer?
Increased risk of cervical cancer due to greater sexual activity
What are additional risks associated with combined hormonal contraception?
2.8-fold increase in relative risk of persistent infection with HPV beyond 5 years.
What are some contraindications for using combined hormonal contraception?
1) Breastfeeding
2) Smoking
3) Age
4) Multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease
5) Hypertension with readings of 160/100 or with vascular disease
6) Current or history of deep vein thrombosis
7) Major surgery with prolonged hospitalization
What are some absolute contraindications for combined contraception?
1) Past arterial or venous thrombosis
2) Focal migraine
3) Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
4) Thrombophilias
5) Active liver disease
6) Liver adenoma
7) Gallstones
8) Pregnancy
9) Estrogen-dependent neoplasm
Combined contraception can be continued until which age?
50 years in healthy women
Which medications are known to reduce the effectiveness of combined contraception?
Drugs that induce Cytochrome P450:
1) Anticonvulsants
2) Antifungals
3) Antiretrovirals
4) Antibiotics
What are some common side effects of combined oral contraceptives?
1) Breakthrough bleeding
2) Headache
3) Weight gain
4) Loss of libido
5) Fluid retention
6) Nausea and vomiting
7) Chloasma (Melasma)
8) Breast enlargement
What are the different methods of combined contraception available?
1) Oral pills
2) Transdermal patches (contraceptive patch)
3) Systemically administered methods (combined injectables)
4) Vaginal routes (contraceptive vaginal ring)
What are the different generations of synthetic progesterone in COCs and one of their benefits?
There are second-generation (nortestosterone and levonorgestrel), third-generation (desogestrel and gestodene), and fourth-generation (antiandrogenic - drospirenone, dienogest) COCs. For example, Dianeette contains antiandrogen, which is useful for acne treatment.
What are the different types of oral contraceptive pills and their dosing schedules?
There are monophasic pills where every pill contains the same dose of steroids, biphasic, triphasic, and tetraphasic pills where the dose of steroids changes during the cycle. They are usually taken for 21 days followed by a 7-day break. Newer brands may have different schedules like 24/4, 84/7, or continuous dosing of 365 days.
How do combined oral contraceptives (COCs) prevent pregnancy?
COCs work by inhibiting ovulation, suppressing follicular development through the inhibition of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and preventing the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge which is necessary for ovulation.
What should a person do if they miss taking their COC pill according to the instructions provided?
If one pill is missed, it should be taken as soon as remembered and then continue taking the remaining pills as usual. If two or more pills are missed, the person should take one pill as soon as remembered and use additional contraceptive methods, such as condoms, for the next 7 days. If the missed pills are in the third week, the pack should be finished and a new pack started without taking the usual break.
What is the area size of a transdermal contraceptive patch?
The area size of a transdermal contraceptive patch is 20 cm².
How often should the transdermal patch be replaced?
Each transdermal patch lasts for 7 days, and there should be three patches used per month.
Can the efficacy of transdermal contraception be reduced in certain conditions?
Yes, the efficacy might be reduced by overweight.
How does the cost of transdermal contraception compare to oral contraception?
Transdermal contraception is more expensive than oral contraception.
What is a noted benefit of transdermal contraception regarding patient behavior?
There is better compliance with transdermal contraception.
What are the hormone dosages used in the vaginal ring, such as the NuvaRing?
The vaginal ring delivers 15 micrograms of ethinylestradiol (EE) and 20 micrograms of etonogestrel daily.
Describe the composition and application cycle of the vaginal ring.
It’s made of soft ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymer and is used for 3 weeks followed by a 7-day ring-free interval.