Question

Contraceptive Choices

A patient who has a history of blood clots is asking for contraceptives? What are some options for this patient and why would these be good choices for her? Are there some contraceptives she cannot take? Why or why not? ( please answer all part of question)

Answer 1

Ans) Although they do not cause blood clots, most birth control pills do increase a woman's chance of developing a blood clot by about three to four times. Most oral contraceptives contain an estrogen and a progestin (synthetic progesterone). Estrogen and progesterone have many effects on a woman's body.

Contraindications to use include cerebrovascular disease or coronary artery disease; a history of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or congestive heart failure; untreated hypertension; diabetes with vascular complications; estrogen-dependent neoplasia; breast cancer; undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding.

- Remember, the only way to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to use a condom every time you have sex.

Other methods of contraception prevent pregnancy, but they do not protect against STIs.

- Contraceptives that are more than 99% effective:

contraceptive implant (lasts up to 3 years)
intrauterine system, or IUS (up to 5 years)
intrauterine device, or IUD, also called the coil (up to 5 to 10 years)
female sterilisation (permanent)
male sterilisation or vasectomy (permanent)

- Contraceptive injection (renewed every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks, depending on the type)
combined pill (taken every day for 3 weeks out of every month)
progestogen-only pill (taken every day)
contraceptive patch (renewed each week for 3 weeks in every month)
vaginal ring (renewed once a month)