TO METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Emergency contraception is a means to prevent pregnancy when you have had unprotected sex or your usual method of contraception has failed.

No contraceptive method is completely safe and few couples can use their method perfectly every time they have sex. Emergency contraception, used in the days after unprotected sex, provides an important back up to regular methods of contraception.

Two methods of emergency contraception have been used in Britain since the early 1970s – emergency hormonal contraceptive pills and the copper-releasing intra-uterine device (IUD).

EMERGENCY HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS (EHC)

Emergency hormonal contraceptive pills contain a hormone called progestogen. Each packet of pills contains two tablets. Both tablets are taken together as a one off dose and must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

Fewer than five percent of women who used emergency contraception become pregnant, but many of these would have been unlikely to conceive anyway. It is estimated that EHC pills prevent 85 % of pregnancies that would have begun if the method had not been used. EHC pills can work in a number of ways.

They may:
· Prevent or delay ovulation (the release of an egg)
· Alter the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg is less likely to implant

EHC pills do not cause an abortion. When they fail to prevent pregnancy there is no evidence that they damage the fetus. They can be obtained free from youth advisory / family planning clinics and GP's. Some pharmacists are trained to issue them FREE, but most will charge.

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CONTRACEPTION
COMBINED PILL
MALE CONDOM
PROGESTOGEN ONLY PILL
OVER 99% EFFECTI VE IF TAKEN ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS. LESS THAN 1 WOMAN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR. 98% EFFECTIVE IF USED ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS. 2 WOMEN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR. WITH LESS CAREFUL USE MORE WOMEN WILL BECOME PREGNANT. 98% TO 99% EFFECTIVE IF USED ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS. 2 WOMEN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR.
CONTAINS TWO HORMONES - OESTROGEN AND PROGESTOGEN - WHICH STOP OVULATION. MADE OF VERY THIN LATEX (RUBBER) OR POLYURETHANE IT IS PUT OVER THE ERECT PENIS AND STOPS SPERM FROM ENTERING THE WOMEN'S VAGINA. CONTAINS A PROGESTOGEN , WHICH THICKENS VAGINAL MUCOUS AND MAY STOP OVULATION.

OFTEN REDUCES BLEEDING, PERIOD PAIN AND PRE-MENSTRUAL TENSION.
PROTECTS AGAINST CANCER OF THE OVARY AND WOMB.
SUITABLE FOR HEALTHY, NON -SMOKERS UP TO THE MENOPAUSE.

FREE FROM YOUTH ADVISORY / FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS AND ALSO SOLD WIDELY.
MAY PROTECT BOTH PARTNERS FROM SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, INCLUDING HIV.
MEN CAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTRACEPTION.
A WIDE VARIETY OF TYPES TO CHOOSE FROM

MAY BE SUITABLE FOR WOMEN WH CANNOT TAKE THE COMBINED PILL.
IT MAY HELP WITH PRE-MENTRAL TENSION AND PAINFUL PERIODS.

NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL WOMEN.
RARE BUT SERIOUS SIDE-EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE BLOOD CLOTS (THROMBOSIS).
CAN BE TEMPORARY MINOR SIDE EFFECTS.
NOT SUITABLE FOR SMOKERS OVER 35.

PUTTING IT ON CAN INTERUPPT SEX.
MAY SLIP OFF OR SPLIT IF NOT USED CORRECTLY.
MAN NEEDS TO WITHDRAW AS SOON AS HE HAS EJACULATED AND BE CAREFUL NOT TO SPILL ANY SPERM.
PERIODS ARE OFTEN IRREGULAR, MAYBE FREQUENT OR STOP ALTOGETHER. MAYBE LESS EFFECTIVEIN WOMEN WHO WEIGH OVER 70kgs (11st).
IMPLANT
CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION
INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM (IUS)
OVER 99% EFFECTIVE. LESS THAN I WOMEN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR. OVER 99% EFFECTIVE. LESS THAN 1 WOMEN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR. OVER 99% EFFECTIVE. LESS THAN 1 WOMEN IN 100 WILL GET PREGNANT IN A YEAR.
SMALL FLEXIBLE TUPE PLACED UNDER THE SKIN OF THE INNER UPPER ARM. RELEASES THE HORMONE PROGESTOGEN INTO THE BLOODSTREAM TO STOP OVULATION AND THICKENS CERVICAL MUCUS TO PREVENT SPERM MEETING AN EGG. RELEASES THE HORMONE PROGESTOGEN SLOWLY INTO THE BODY. THIS STOPS OVULATION AND THICKENS CERVICAL MUCUS TO PREVENT SPERM MEETING AN EGG. A SMALL PLASTIC DEVICE WHICH CONTAINS COPPER. IT MAY STOP SPERM REACHING AN EGG. OR STOP THE EGG SETTLING IN THE WOMB.
WORKS FOR THREE YEARS BUT CAN BE TAKEN OUT AT ANY TIME.
WHEN THE IMPLANT IS REMOVED NORMAL LEVEL OF FERTILITY WILL RETURN IMMEDIATELY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT CONTRACEPTION FOR AS LONG AS THE IMPLANT WORKS.
LASTS 12 WEEKS (DEPO-PROVERA) OR 8 WEEKS (NORISTERAT).
MAY PROTECT AGAINST CANCER OF THE WOMB.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT CONTRACEPTION FOR AS LONG AS THE INJECTION WORKS.
WORKS FOR FIVE OR YEARS BUT CAN BE TAKEN OUT AT ANY TIME.
PERIODS MAY BE LONGER OR HEAVIER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT CONTRACEPTION FOR AS LONG AS THE IUD WORKS.
PERIODS ARE OFTEN IRREGULAR, VERY LONG OR STOP FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST YEAR.
SOME WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT.
OVER POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE HEADACHES, ACNE, MOOD CHANGES AND TENDER BREASTS.
PERIODS MAY BE IRREGLUAR OR STOP.
REGULAR PERIODS AND FERTILITY MAY TAKE A YEAR OR MORE TO RETURN AFTER STOPPING THE INJECTIONS.
SOME WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT.
OTHER POSSIBLE SIDE-EFFECTS INCLUDE HEADACHES, ACNE, MOOD CHANGES AND TENDER BREASTS.
MORE DIFFICULT TO FIT IF THE WOMAN HASN'T HAD A FULL TERM PREGNANCY. INFECTIONS MUST BE EXLUDED BEFORE FITTING. CAN BE USED AS AN EMERGENCY METHOD OF CONTRACEPTION.

TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

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