Period-proof Contraception: The Facts

Period-proof Contraception: The Facts

In the UK, we’re lucky enough to\r\nhave a huge choice of contraception,\r\nbut do we spend enough time\r\nconsidering which type is best for us?\r\n“Women spend more time deciding on\r\na pair of shoes than the estimated five\r\nminutes spent thinking about what kind\r\nof contraception to use,” says the FPA’s\r\nRebecca Findlay. “It’s such a personal\r\nchoice and worth taking the time to\r\nconsider all the options carefully.”\r\nLow-hassle methods (i.e. you don’t\r\nhave to remember to take them once\r\nthey’re fitted/completed) are called Long\r\nActing Reversible Contraceptive Methods\r\n(LARC). There’s only a 14% usage of\r\nthese in the UK, and GPs are being\r\nencouraged by NICE (National Institute\r\nfor Health and Clinical Excellence) to\r\noffer them to all women. So don’t be\r\nsurprised if you find yourself considering\r\none of these methods very soon...

The injection

How it works:

Releases progesterone,\r\nwhich stops ovulation, thins the womb\r\nlining and thickens cervical mucus to\r\nprevent sperm reaching an egg.

How long it lasts:

12 weeks (Depo-\r\nProvera) or 8 weeks (Noristerat).

Periods?

They stop in 70% of women\r\nwho use it for longer than a year.\r\nHowever, in some cases, periods\r\nbecome longer or more irregular.

Mirena Coil (IUS)

How it works:

A small\r\nT-shaped device is\r\ninserted into the womb\r\nand releases progesterone.

How long it lasts:

That’s it, once it’s in.\r\nBut should be removed every six years.

Periods?

Often stop after a year of use\r\nor sooner, although most women using\r\nthe Mirena still ovulate.

The Implant

How it works:

A small rod is put under\r\nthe skin of the upper arm, which releases\r\nprogesterone to stop ovulation, thin the\r\nwomb lining and thicken cervical mucus\r\nto prevent sperm reaching an egg.

How long it lasts:

An incredible three\r\nyears. But you can remove it sooner if\r\nyou choose to.

Periods?

One in five women have\r\nno periods. One in two women have\r\nirregular bleeding.

Vaginal ring

How it works:

A small ring is\r\ninserted into the vagina and\r\nreleases oestrogen and\r\nprogesterone. Stops ovulation,\r\nthins the womb lining and thickens\r\ncervical mucus to prevent sperm\r\nreaching an egg. The hormones go\r\nstraight into your blood stream, not via\r\nthe liver, which some doctors think of as\r\nmore natural.

How long it lasts:

You use it for three\r\nweeks out of four.

Periods?

You’ll still have them but\r\nthey’ll be much lighter and more regular.

The Progestogen-only Pill

How it works:

You take a pill at the\r\nsame time every day and it releases\r\nprogesterone. This thickens the cervical\r\nmucus to prevent the sperm fertilising\r\nthe egg and thins the lining of the\r\nwomb. It does not always stop ovulation\r\nbut still protects against pregnancy as it\r\nmakes it difficult for sperm to meet the\r\negg and for an embryo to implant.

How long it lasts:

You take it every\r\nday at the same time (within an hour)\r\nwithout a break but it doesn’t give\r\nyou a ‘fake’ period, like the combined\r\npill. Some newer versions do stop\r\novulation so give you greater protection\r\nagainst pregnancy.

Periods?

Can become irregular and\r\nspotting can occur in up to 25% of\r\nwomen. Periods sometimes stop\r\nand, particularly with this form of\r\ncontraception, women should check\r\nthey are not pregnant as it is not as\r\nsafe as the combined pill.

The Combined Pill

How it works:

You take a pill at any time of day, which releases oestrogen and progesterone. Stops ovulation, thins the womb lining and thickens cervical mucus to prevent sperm reaching an egg.

How long it lasts:

Taken every day for three weeks until the pack is finished. You then have a break of seven days when you have a period. which is usually shorter than normal periods.

Periods?

You decide. Many women take their packs back to back to stop the breakthrough bleed. “You can only do this with the pills that have equal amounts of hormone, not those with varying levels, the triphasic pills,” says Peter Bowen-Simpkins, medical director of the London Women’s Clinic. New pills on the market, such as Seasonale, stop periods for three months, so you only have four a year.