One of the most popular questions I have received from my readers is on how to choose the right birth control.
Believe it or not, but my fancy shmancy med school education does not give us a formal lecture(s) on contraception. Thankfully, our Med Students for Choice Chapter at UCD, has arranged 4 hours worth of contraception education. Tomorrow will be our second lecture. I will promise to try and provide the most accurate information on it as soon as all four lectures have been given for all of you to enjoy.
In the meantime, I came across this really great article on contraception methods in women who have chronic medical problems. I will try to summarize the information below... (If you have any of these medical problems, I urge you to talk to your physician about how your condition/medications will interact with your choice of contraception).
Anticonvulsants:
Check if a drug interaction exists between your meds and your choice contraception!
If you do have a drug interaction recommendations suggest using DMPA (levenorgestrel intrauterine system/LNG-IUS) or a copper IUD.
Not recommended: implants and progestin-only pills
Migraines:
Women with migraines AND focal neurologic symptoms (or other risks for stroke) are recommended to use intrauterine contraception, barrier methods, or progestin-only pills.
Obesity:
Women who are obese automatically decrease the efficacy of their contraception. They are recommended to use LNG/IUS to protect against pregnancy and obesity-associated endometrial hyperplasia
Diabetics:
Women are recommended to use intrauterine methods and progestin-only pills. Although there has been no negative effects associated with any other oral contraception.
HIV:
IUDs are very efficacious and do not increase risks to women or their partners to HIV.
Use caution when taking oral contraception if also taking antiretroviral meds.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus:
Oral contraception and IUDs are both safe for women with SLE.
Ref: Teal, S.B. et al, "Contraception for Women with Chronic Medical Conditions," Obstet Gynecol Clin N Am 34 (2007) 113-126.
Look for more about contraception in my next few blogs!
Believe it or not, but my fancy shmancy med school education does not give us a formal lecture(s) on contraception. Thankfully, our Med Students for Choice Chapter at UCD, has arranged 4 hours worth of contraception education. Tomorrow will be our second lecture. I will promise to try and provide the most accurate information on it as soon as all four lectures have been given for all of you to enjoy.
In the meantime, I came across this really great article on contraception methods in women who have chronic medical problems. I will try to summarize the information below... (If you have any of these medical problems, I urge you to talk to your physician about how your condition/medications will interact with your choice of contraception).
Anticonvulsants:
Check if a drug interaction exists between your meds and your choice contraception!
If you do have a drug interaction recommendations suggest using DMPA (levenorgestrel intrauterine system/LNG-IUS) or a copper IUD.
Not recommended: implants and progestin-only pills
Migraines:
Women with migraines AND focal neurologic symptoms (or other risks for stroke) are recommended to use intrauterine contraception, barrier methods, or progestin-only pills.
Obesity:
Women who are obese automatically decrease the efficacy of their contraception. They are recommended to use LNG/IUS to protect against pregnancy and obesity-associated endometrial hyperplasia
Diabetics:
Women are recommended to use intrauterine methods and progestin-only pills. Although there has been no negative effects associated with any other oral contraception.
HIV:
IUDs are very efficacious and do not increase risks to women or their partners to HIV.
Use caution when taking oral contraception if also taking antiretroviral meds.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus:
Oral contraception and IUDs are both safe for women with SLE.
Ref: Teal, S.B. et al, "Contraception for Women with Chronic Medical Conditions," Obstet Gynecol Clin N Am 34 (2007) 113-126.
Look for more about contraception in my next few blogs!
