INJECTABLE CONTRACEPTIVES
Contraceptives can be dated from way back in the biblical era and there have been significant efforts to make improvements over the years to the various birth control methods. In the more recent days there are more than a dozen birth control methods practiced in the society. Some of this birth control methods include hormonal, oral, surgical and more commonly the physical methods of contraceptive. For one to be significantly protected from sexually transmitted illness and the unplanned pregnancies the more important thing is awareness and education on various methods available to them.
Injectable contraceptive
Contraception could be defined as the deliberate usage of artificial means and techniques to prevent pregnancy as a result of sexual interactions.
Injectable contraceptive is a form of contraception where one is injected with a shot of hormones, either progestin or progestin and estrogen that work towards stopping the body from releasing eggs which when fertilized during sexual intercourse would lead to pregnancy.
How I used this method of contraception
The injection or injectable contraception are normally administered through the injections on the muscles. This muscles include the buttock, or thighs or the abdomen (Jutte, 2008). One very important fact to ensure before being administered with this form of birth control is to ensure that you are not pregnant. For this reason, the first injection is normally administered around the first 1 to 5 days of the menstrual cycle in women. The next injection can be given with an allowance of up to 13 weeks apart, this is mainly dependent on which injection contraception is administered. If you do not get the injection within the first five days of the menstrual cycle the injection can be administered at any other time as long as one is reasonably sure that they are not pregnant. This method of contraception works just like the implant contraception method (Speroff, & Darney, 2010). The injection methods precipitate the steady release of the hormone progeston to the bloodstream. This hormone available in most of the injectable contraception techniques, is similar to the hormone progesterone that is released by a female’s ovaries during her menstrual cycle. The constant steady release of the hormone by this injectable contraceptive helps to stop a woman from releasing the ovum during the ovulation process monthly. The hormone also works towards thickening the mucus that is normally produced at the cervix which makes penetration of the sperm to the uterus extremely difficult to impossible thereby reducing the chances of fertilization. After fertilization of an egg after engaging in sexual intercourse the fertilized egg attaches to the walls of the uterus. This method of injectable contraceptive makes the uterus lining thicker.
The most unique risks of this method of family planning is experienced alterations in the menstrual cycle and weight gain. The injectable contraceptive in most instances will have a side effect on the menstrual cycle and more specifically likely to cause irregular or possibly excessive bleeding or in some case spotting. One third of the women who take injection contraception will not experience any form of bleeding after having the first injection. Most women after the fourth injection will not have their regular periods at all a fact that the research claims should not worry women. Women are advised to seek the professional advice of a healthcare provider if they experience excessive or lengthy bleeding as it is a treatable condition. This particular risk of prolonged breeding is common to women who start the injection contraception after having an abortion or after delivery. This risk is not a permanent risk as it can be mitigated and regular periods return typically within three months after stopping the use of the contraception method.
The other unique risk associated with injectable contraception is one of weight gain. There is a possibility of increasing weight by between 5 pounds to 8 pounds in the first 1 to 2 years of using the injection contraception and between 14 pounds and 16 pounds during the next 4 to 6 years of using the injection contraceptive therapy.
There also some minor risks involved such as allergic reactions which can be treated if immediate help of a physician is sought. Some of the most common symptoms that a person taking this therapy and is having allergic reaction to it include swelling of the lips, face, tongue or having difficulty to breath or swallow, skin rash, among some few more (“Contraceptive injections: Your Guide - Contraception - FPA.”,2016).
The advantages of this method of contraception include a very highly effective and reversible protection against the risk of becoming pregnant while lifting the heavy burden of having to remember to take pills for instance daily. This method also unlike other methods do not increase the risk of breast, cervical or ovarian cancer and in some instance can even protect against the risk of contracting endometrial cancer. The method is extremely useful for women especially women who experience painful periods.
The injectable contraception does not provide protection in any way against STI and as such cannot be used to provide as a means to protect oneself from the STI infection.
Informing your partner is always advised by any Planned Parenthood Center around the globe. The decision to involve the partner is always the prerogative of the person seeking the services of injectable contraception or any other contraception method.
References
Contraceptive injections: Your Guide - Contraception - FPA. (2016). Fpa.org.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2016, from http://www.fpa.org.uk/contraception-help/contraceptive-injections
Jütte, R. (2008). Contraception: A history. Cambridge: Polity.
Speroff, L., & Darney, P. D. (2010). A clinical guide for contraception. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Speroff, L., & Darney, P. D. (2011). A clinical guide for contraception.
