Quarterly contraceptive injections
Contraceptive injections contain high dose of progesterone, similar to natural progesterone produced in the ovaries. Because the hormone is injected into the organism, any side effect can appear and can last as long as the injection’s effect and sometimes even longer.
Administration
The hormone is injected intramuscular, usually in the buttocks, but it can be injected in the arms or legs. After injection, progesterone is gradually released in the blood. Its administration has to be done every three months.
Effect
Its most important mechanism of action is represented by ovulation’s inhibition (ovule/ egg release), but it also makes some changes on growth and thickness of cervical mucosa, thinning the uterus covering.
Index pearl – 0.3
The effectiveness of a contraceptive is expressed by the numbers of pregnancies that appear to 100 women that use a certain contraceptive method during a year. Doctors call it “Index Pearl”. For instance, if a contraceptive has 1% Index Pearl means that 1 woman of 100 women gets pregnant by using that contraceptive method for a year; or that method has 99% efficiency.
Advantages
- You don’t have to think about contraception during the injection action
- It can be used during breast- feeding
- It is not affected by gastro- intestinal problems
- Adequate for women who cannot take estrogen
Disadvantages
- Injections have to be done by a doctor
- Fertility restoration can be delayed – sometimes a year after you stopped injections
- Irregular bleedings
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