Exam 5: Contraception: Planning and Preventing

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Responses should consider:
-Oral contraceptives are also called birth control pills.
-Combination oral contraceptives contain both estrogen and progestin.
-The contraceptive effect on a woman taking these hormones is that her body's normal hormonal cycle is altered,and ovulation is prevented.
-Advantages include:
-They are very effective.
-There is no interruption of lovemaking.
-They are generally very safe.
-They often make menstrual cycles more regular and reduce or relieve symptoms of PMS and menstrual cramps.
-They may reduce the length of the menstrual period,and the amount of bleeding.
-Disadvantages include:
-They do not protect against STIs.
-It's easy to miss doses.
-Depending on where they are purchased,they can be relatively expensive.
-There is the possibility of spotting.
-There is the possibility of nausea.
-There are possible side effects; if experiencing any of the following,call a physician immediately: ACHES
A - abdominal pain
C - chest pain (severe)with a cough or shortness of breath
H - headache (severe),dizziness,weakness,numbness
E - eye problems,vision,loss,blurring,slurred speech
S - severe leg pain
-One type is the minipill.
-It is a progestin-only pill,and has approximately the same low failure rate as the combination (progestin and estrogen)pill.
-The main advantage is that it avoids some of the potentially negative side effects associated with estrogen.
-A disadvantage is that many of the health benefits associated with the estrogen in the combined pill are not present in the progestin-only pill.
-It interferes with ovulation.
-It also causes a thickening of the mucus secreted by the cervix,which sets up a barrier that is very difficult for sperm to penetrate.
-If some sperm do get through,the lining of the uterus that develops to support a fertilized egg is thinner in a woman taking the minipill,and is therefore less receptive to implantation and pregnancy.
-Another type is the extended-dosage contraceptive pill,such as Seasonale.
-These pills provide a daily dose of hormones for 84 consecutive days,during which a woman is protected against pregnancy and does not menstruate.
-After the 84 pills are taken,a woman then takes a placebo for 7 days,during which she will typically have her period.
-A woman will only have four menstrual periods a year.
-Research has shown no dangers from menstrual suppression.
-Advantages include:
-These can be recommended by doctors for women with menstruation-related health problems,and have been used by women themselves to delay or skip a period.
-Women who have especially painful period,heavy bleeding,cycle-related migraine headaches,or other serious menstruation-related conditions may benefit from reducing the annual number of periods.
-Disadvantages include:
-The most serious side effect was an increase in bleeding or spotting between periods.
-These extended-dosage contraceptive pills carry the same health risks as other combination pills with similar formulations.