3. Contraceptive Methods

why do mpreg fics forget contraception exists...like abort that thing gerard

What are contraceptive methods?

prevents eggs and sperm meeting or prevents a fertilised egg from implanting in the uterus wall

What are the different kinds of contraception?

• hormone based contraceptives

• chemical methods

• barrier methods

• abstinence

• surgical method

What are different kinds of hormone based contraceptives?

• oral contraceptives (eg. contraceptive pill)

• contraceptive implant

• contraceptive injections

• contraceptive patch

How do oral contraceptives work?

• they contain low dosages of estrogen and progesterone which inhibits FSH which prevents the egg from maturing

• it also stops the uterus lining from developing chich prevents implantation of a fertilised egg

• it also makes the mucus in the cervix thich to provent sperm entering

What is different about some contraceptive pills?

they contain only progesterone

What is the benefit of a progesterone only pill?

it has fewer side effects from the mixed pill

Why does the progestrone only pill need to be taken regularly?

if you forget progesterone levels decrease which causes FSH/LH to increase as they are no longer inhibited, which causes the egg to mature and be released

What are the advantages of oral only contraceptives?

they are effective and easily reversible

What is a contraceptive implant?

a tiny tube inserted under the skin that slowly releases progesterone to prevent an egg maturing

What are the advantages of a contraceptive implant?

it lasts up to 3 years and is 99.5% effective (because the hormone level in the blood is more constant)

What are the disadvantages of contraceptive implants?

may be bruising/tenderness/swelling at first and can be difficult to remove

What are contraceptive injections?

injections that slowly release progesterone

What are the advantages of progesterone?

99% effective

What are the disadvantages of contraceptive injections?

they only last 12 weeks

What is a contraceptive patch?

a patch that contains estrogen and progestrone and prevents egg maturing/being released

How are the hormones absorbed in a contraceptive patch?

they are absorbed directly into the blood

What are the advantages of contraceptive patches?

they are more than 99% effective and may prevent against ovarian/uterus/colon cancer

What is the main kind of chemical method?

spermicides

What do spermicides do?

kill or disable sperm

What are the disadvantages of spermicides?

they’re not very effective on their own

How are spermicides often used?

with barrier methods

What are different kinds of barrier methods?

• condoms

• diaphragm/cap

• intrauterine devices (IUD)

What do barrier methods do?

they prevent the sperm from reaching the egg

What do condoms do?

collects sperm and prevents them reaching the egg

What are the advantages of condoms?

• no side effects

• protection against some sexually transmitted infections

What are disadvantages of condoms?

easily damaged

What do diaphragm/caps do?

placed over cervix before sex to prevent spern entry

What are the advantages of a diaphragm/cap?

no side effects

What are the disadvantages of a diaphragm/cap?

needs to be fitted initially by a doctor, needs to be positioned correctly

What does is an IUD?

small structures inserted into the uterus by a doctor

What are the two types of IUD?

copper and progesterone

How do copper IUDs work?

they prevent early embryos from implanting in the uterus wall and thickens mucus around the cervix to prevent sperm from entering

What are the ethical problems with copper IUDs?

involves death of a fertilised egg

How do progestrone IUDs work?

• they prevent ovulation

• they prevent the uterus wall from thickening

• thickens mucus around cervix (prevents sperm entering)

What are the advantages of an IUD?

effective, lasts 3-5 years

What are the disadvantages of an IUD?

very painful to insert

What is abstinence?

not having sexual intercourse specifically around ovulation (rhythm method)

What are the disadvantages of abstinence?

unreliable

What is the main kind of surgical method?

vasectomy

What is a vasectomy for males?

sperm ducts can be cut and tied

What is a vasectomy for females?

oviducts can be cut or tied

What does a vasectomy do?

prevents sperm from getting into semen

What are the advantages of a vasectomy?

effective and usually permanent

Can a vasectomy be reversed?

yes, but its difficult

What are the disadvantages of a vasectomy?

surgery has slight risk of infection, difficult to reverse operation