Hormonal Contraception Update
2004 WHO Expert Working Group on Missing pill recommendation
Always take a hormonal pill as soon as you remember and continue to take one pill each day.
- Missed 3 or more pills :
- You must take hormonal pills for 7 days in a row to get back full protection
- Starting with the first pill you missed, keep taking one pill each day, AND use condoms or avoid sex until you have taken hormonal pills for 7 days in a row.
- if you missed 3 or more hormonal pills in week 3:
Finish only the hormonal pills in that pack, throw away the reminder pills, and then start a new pack the next day.
*These instructions apply to combined oral contraceptive pills containing more than 20 g of the estrogen ethinyl estradiol.
- Advantages of DMPA
o Almost 100% effective
o Does not require day to day motivation
o Non intercourse related
o No oestrogenic side effects or health risks
o Protective against PID & Endometrial Ca
o Does not inhibit lactation
o Protective in sickle cell (SS) disease
- Disadvantages of DMPA
o (Injection cannot be removed once given)
o Menstrual disturbance
o Delay in return of fertility
o Weight gain
o (Androgenic side effects eg. acne - rare)
o osteoporosis
- Depo & osteporosis SUMMARY
o Special Warnings and Precautions etc: Loss of bone mineral density, increasing with length of use.
o A risk: benefit assessment should be performed, especially in young or adolescent women and if use is anticipated to be long term (ie 2 years or longer).
o In adolescents and women with significant lifestyle and/or medical risk factors for osteoporosis, other methods of contraception should be considered before using Depo-Provera.
- Depo Provera and Arterial disease
ü Reduction in HDL (15% approx)
ü Impairment of arterial endothelial function (Sorenson MB et al. Circulation 2002; 106: 1646-1651)
ü WHO Epidemiological study (WHO Contraception 1998; 57: 315-324)
FUTURE HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION
- NuvaRing
Design, composition and use
1 ring per cycle
Regimen:
ü 3 weeks of ring-use
ü 1 ring-free week
Daily release:
ü 15 µg ethinylestradiol
ü 120 µg etonogestrel
- NuvaRing
Pharmacokinetics and dynamics - Irregular bleeding with Nuvaring
Comparison with a COC
IUD Update
- Re-emergence of the IUD
o Recent research has led to important changes in WHO eligibility criteria
o Risk of upper genital infections is negligible
o Despite many misconceptions, IUD users have higher satisfaction rates than users of many other methods (99% vs 91% for pill users)
- Reducing the Risk of PID
ü Screen women for risk of STIs:
o generally can use if at risk of STIs
o not recommended if at high individual risk of STIs
ü Screen out women with clinical symptoms and signs of an STI
ü Counsel about risk of PID
ü Follow infection prevention procedures during insertion
ü Recommend one-month follow-up visit to check for infection return immediately if any symptoms of PID develop
- If STIs or PID are diagnosed:
o Treat condition
o Leave IUD in place
o Counsel to abstain from sex or use condom until cured to prevent infection transmission
o Encourage partner treatment
- SUMMARY
§ IUDs are:
safe, effective, convenient, reversible, long lasting, cost effective, easy-to-use
§ Providers can ensure safety by:
ü careful screening
ü informative counseling
ü good infection prevention
ü proper follow-up