Contraceptives (female and male) Flashcards
What percentage of women have access to contraceptives in Canada vs the US?
Canada 90%
USA 50-60%
What are some traditional/natural contraceptives?
rhythm (periodic abstinence), withdrawal and lactational amenorrhea method (LAM)
Is access to contraceptives different depending on age group?
yes, Proportion of women with needs met is age dependent
Access not as good for the 15–19-year-old age group
Types of female contraceptives, reversible?
Fertility awareness (know when fertile) - 24%
Withdrawal - 22%
Female condom - 21%
The pill - 9%
The patch - 9%
Implant - 0.05%
Intrauterine Device (IUD) - 0.2%LNG, 0.8% Copper T
Types of female contraceptives, irreversible?
Abdominal, laparoscopic, and hysteroscopic) - 0.5%
Types of male contraceptives, reversible?
Male condom - 18%
withdrawal - 22%
Spermicide - 28%
The endocrine system?
A hormone is a chemical messenger that circulates in the body and has an effect on distant cells
Types of male contraceptives, irreversible?
Vasectomy - 0.1%
Components of the endocrine system affecting fertility?
Hypothalamus: GnRH released, act on receptors in
Anterior pituitary: LH, FSH, 2 hormones produced, go through circulation, regulate activity
End organ function: Testis, ovary, (gametogenesis, gonadal hormone production)
Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis?
GnRH, LH, FSH reach to ovaries and affect specific cells and functions, the net result is the production of an oocyte that can be fertilized and the production of hormones; estrogen, progesterone, steroids which can regulate the communication loop, negative feedback on the hypothalamus and the pituitary
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH)?
Pulsatile GnRH stimulates LH and FSH secretion by the anterior pituitary
Shape of the message is also important in the type of reaction produced
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)?
Pulsatile FSH and LH released by the anterior pituitary stimulate maturation of ovarian follicles and steroid synthesis
They look very similar in terms of their chemical structure, one common subunit and one different one
Released in a pulsatile manner (waves, not a continuous signal, different shapes produced by the signal, no signal pattern)
What does LH do?
Acts on theca cells, layer of cells in the ovary involved in follicle maturation
- Increase steroid synthesis
- Increases FHS receptors
What does FSH do?
- Regulates follicle growth and maturation
- Increases the activity of cholesterol side chain cleavage (CYP11A1- synthesis of progesterone) and aromatase (converts Testosterone to E2/estradiol) in granulosa cells (internal layer)
Nuclear steroid Hormone Receptors?
Estradiol and progesterone interact with hormone receptors, bind hormone LBD ligand binding domain, there are specific DNA binding domains DBD that interact with DNA and along with transcription factors regulates the transcription of hormone responsive genes.
(Basically, regulating the transcription of a bunch of genes involved in processes needed for estrogen or progesterone to act in the body)
What are the progesterone and estrogen receptors
Progesterone receptor:
hPR
estrogen receptor:
2 different types, specific drugs can activate only one type
hER beta
hER alpha
Progesterone action?
Interacts with receptor in nucleus, activates gene expression and get biological function
There are also membrane receptors that activate secondary messengers, to create biological function
Nuclear hormone receptors bound by progesterone, estrogen, testosterone activate specific genes that are involved with the specific hormone receptor
Estrogen receptors?
Genomic response activating the transcription of specific genes that cause biological function
Also, non genomic responses
Estrogens and progestins as drugs for what effect?
- Fertility control
o Contraception
o Ovulation induction - Hormone Replacement Therapy (after menopause)
- Cancer chemotherapy
What hormones regulate the menstrual cycle?
LH and FSH regulate the cycle, peak levels around the follicular rupture
Progesterone peak levels when?
Progesterone synthesis is stimulated by the other hormones, peak progesterone in the luteal phase
How is the endometrial lining built up?
Uterine endometrium is stimulated by the other hormones, the build up of the lining depends on the hormones, if ovulation happens and egg did not fertilize the lining will be lost.
Regulation of Ovulation, positive feedback?
Specific positive and negative feedback
Steep incline in estradiol stimulates LH and FSH production
Increase in E2 (estrogen) greater than the threshold triggers an increase in GnRH and a big increase in LH
What does the midcycle LH surge do?
Stimulates follicle rupture and ovulation
Regulation of Ovulation – negative feedback?
Increase in Estrogen and Progesterone decreases LH and FSH release from Pituitary
Fertility Awareness-Based Methods?
Monitor things like basal body temperature, increase in progesterone, higher body temperature
Can know what your ovarian activity is, progesterone is higher when ovulation occurs
Effectiveness 24% (24 or more pregnancies per 100 women per year)
The pill?
The pill 9% effective
Combination oral contraceptives – analogs of estrogen and progestin
The analogs are less rapidly inactivated than the natural hormones
what are some estrogen analogues?
Ethinyl estradiol
Estradiol valerate
When did the FDA approve the pill for infertility and menstrual irregularities?
1957: FDA approves for: infertility, menstrual irregularities
1960: FDA approval of combination pill
What has changed since the original contraceptive pill?
Since the original pill, the dosages have changed, decreased amount of estradiol
Combination pill types, an estrogen and a progestin?
- Monophasic – 1 month cycle – all pills the same
- Multiphasic- active pills contain different amounts
- Extended cycle – typically 12 weeks of active pills
(also progestin only pills, for people who estrogen is not advised)
How does the oral contraceptive pill block the menstrual cycle?
If you take an oral contraceptive, makes a constant source of estrogen and progestin, so there is a dampening of the feedback, no LH or FSH surge. Since there is no peak GnRH, LH, FSH there is no cycle
The feedback inhibits the LH, FSH, GnRH, and higher brain centers, therefore they impact the signaling from the brain down to tell the ovaries what to do, not going to have a ripe follicle or ovulation
Not the same build up of the lining
What does the pill do? (3)
- Prevent the ovary from releasing an egg
- Thicken the cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to reach the egg
- Thin the lining of the uterus to make implantation of fertilized egg more difficult
Oral contraceptive pill, perfect use vs typical use?
- Perfect use failure rate of 0.3%
- Typical use failure rate in the first year 9%
- Failure is related to poor compliance
Basically, you have to take it every day at the same time