Fertility Control Flashcards
Contraception to avoid with breast cancer
Avoid any hormonal contraception
Copper coil or barrier methods
Contraception to avoid with cervical or endometrial cancer
Avoid the IUS (Mirena)
Contraception to avoid with Wilson’s disease
Copper coil
Which conditions should avoid COCP?
Uncontrolled hypertension (particularly ≥160 / ≥100)
Migraine with aura
History of VTE
Aged over 35 smoking more than 15 cigarettes per day
Major surgery with prolonged immobility
Vascular disease or stroke
Ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy or atrial fibrillation
Liver cirrhosis and liver tumours
SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome
What are dental dams and what do they protect against?
Used during oral sex to provide barrier between the mouth and the vulva, vagina or anus.
Prevent infections that can be spread through oral sex, including:
Chlamydia Gonorrhoea Herpes simplex 1 and 2 HPV (human papillomavirus) E. coli Pubic lice Syphilis HIV
Examples of barrier methods
Condoms
Diaphragms
Cervical caps
Hormonal contraception mechanisms
Stop eggs being released (ovulation)
Thin womb lining
Thicken cervical mucus
COCP mechanism of action
Preventing ovulation (this is the primary mechanism of action)
Progesterone thickens the cervical mucus
Progesterone inhibits proliferation of the endometrium, reducing the chance of successful implantation
Types of COCP
Monophasic pills contain the same amount of hormone in each pill
Multiphasic pills contain varying amounts of hormone to match the normal cyclical hormonal changes more closely
What COCPs are recommended in premenstrual syndrome?
Yasmin or other COCPs containing drospirenone
What COCPs are recommended in treatment of acne and hirsutism?
Dianette and other COCPs containing cyproterone acetate
COCP regime options
21 days on and 7 days off
63 days on (three packs) and 7 days off (“tricycling“)
Continuous use without a pill-free period
Side effects and risks of COCP
Unscheduled bleeding is common in the first three months and should then settle with time
Breast pain and tenderness
Mood changes and depression
Headaches
Hypertension
VTE (the risk is much lower for the pill than pregnancy)
Small increased risk of breast and cervical cancer, returning to normal ten years after stopping
Small increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke
Benefits of COCP
Effective contraception
Rapid return of fertility after stopping
Improvement in premenstrual symptoms, menorrhagia (heavy periods) and dysmenorrhoea (painful periods)
Reduced risk of endometrial, ovarian and colon cancer
Reduced risk of benign ovarian cysts
COCP contraindications
Uncontrolled hypertension (particularly ≥160 / ≥100)
Migraine with aura (risk of stroke)
History of VTE
Aged over 35 and smoking more than 15 cigarettes per day
Major surgery with prolonged immobility
Vascular disease or stroke
Ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy or atrial fibrillation
Liver cirrhosis and liver tumours
SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome
What counts as missing a pill?
Missing a pill = more than 24hrs late (48hrs since last pill taken)
What to do after missing one pill (less than 72hrs since last pill taken)
Take the missed pill as soon as possible (even if this means taking two pills on the same day)
No extra protection is required provided other pills before and after are taken correctly
What to do after missing one pill (more than 72hrs since last pill taken)
Take the most recent missed pill as soon as possible (even if this means taking two pills on the same day)
Additional contraception (i.e. condoms) is needed until they have taken the pill regularly for 7 days straight
If day 1 – 7 of the packet they need emergency contraception if they have had unprotected sex
If day 8 – 14 of the pack (and day 1 – 7 was fully compliant) then no emergency contraception is required
If day 15 – 21 of the pack (and day 1 – 14 was fully compliant) then no emergency contraception is needed
They should go back-to-back with their next pack of pills and skip the pill-free period
How is the POP taken?
Continuously (unlike cyclical combined pills)
What are the two types of POP?
Traditional progestogen-only pill (e.g. Norgeston or Noriday)
Desogestrel-only pill (e.g. Cerazette)
Missed POP pills
Traditional POP - more than 3hrs late is missed pill
Desogestrel only pill - more than 12hrs late is missed pill
How do traditional POPs work?
Thickening the cervical mucus
Altering the endometrium and making it less accepting of implantation
Reducing ciliary action in the fallopian tubes