Synonyms in a broader sense
Pill, birth control pill, gynefix, depot injection, hormone sticks, hormone patches
Definition
Contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy and to bridge the fertile days. There are different methods of contraception. Hormonal contraception is a very popular method for women.
Different methods
There are various hormonal contraceptives. The following methods are discussed in detail. Hormonal contraceptive methods: Cerazette is also a contraceptive method in tablet form.
You should also consider this promising form of contraception before you decide on a variant.
- Birth control pill
- The three-month injection
- Hormone Spiral
- Vaginal ring
- Hormone Sticks
- Hormone patches
- Contraceptive methods at a glance
The pill is the most popular hormonal contraceptive. The contraceptive pill was first introduced in the USA in 1960 and in Europe in 1961.
Since then it has been one of the most widely used contraceptives. The Pill contains the hormones estrogen and progestin as hormonal active ingredients. The hormonal components of the Pill, which were still in high doses in the past, have been increasingly reduced to the present day. This means that the side effects of the Pill (see: Risk of thrombosis with the Pill) are now greatly reduced at just such high doses, which guarantee a safe effect of the Pill.
The morning after pill
The special feature of the “morning after pill” is that if one of the other contraceptives is used inadequately, it can be taken up to 48 hours after intercourse and can prevent pregnancy. It consists of tablets containing high doses of progestins or progestins and estrogens which prevent ovulation as well as the implantation (nidation) of the egg. The three-month injection, also known as a depot injection, is a hormonal contraceptive that contains only the hormone progestin.
Every two to three months the gynaecologist gives an injection either into the upper arm muscle (deltoid muscle) or the gluteus muscle (gluteus muscle). The hormone accumulates after an injection into the respective muscle and is then gradually released into the body. As the release takes place over a period of 8 to 12 weeks, an injection has a contraceptive effect even during this period.
The effect of the progestin in an injection is similar to the effect of the progestin in the contraceptive pill. Ovulation is prevented, the cervical mucus is thickened to make it harder for sperm to pass through, and the correct build-up of the endometrium is made more difficult, making it difficult for an egg to implant. The three-month injection is prescribed to women who cannot tolerate other contraceptives such as the pill or to nursing mothers.
Breastfeeding mothers, it should be mentioned, should at best not use hormonal contraception at all, but rather a different type of contraceptive. However, the three-month injection is again the best hormonal contraceptive for nursing mothers, as it contains only progestins and no estrogens, which means that the production of breast milk is not so strongly influenced. Side effects of the three-month injection include weight gain, mood swings, reduced desire (loss of libido) and bleeding irregularities (spotting and bleeding between periods = menorrhages and metrorrhages).
Menstrual bleeding can also stop altogether. After stopping the injections, it is possible that the natural cycle with ovulation can only be re-established after some time. It is also possible that the regular cycle does not return after the three-month injection has been discontinued.
A further disadvantage of the three-month injection is that if you are intolerant to the progestin, you cannot simply stop taking it, but have to wait for the depot effect to subside. Interactions with antibiotics also cause the hormone to lose its effect during the period of administration. It is certainly an advantage that, unlike the pill, you do not have to think about taking the pill every day and have a safe contraception with a Pearl index of around 0.5.However, the three-month injection is not recommended for young women who want to have children later, due to the potential problems after discontinuing the injection.
