July 16th 2020

Hi there Caddyshackers,

Kaitlyn again, I hope you enjoyed reading about the different protection measures, pretty interesting about the dental dam and where the name originated from hey!

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Hormonal Contraception Methods

Contraception is an important and necessary part of our lives, but finding your perfect match can shift over time depending on your life circumstances. So explore some more options in this blog and find the best fit for you!

In today’s blog, we are continuing our month of contraception and talking about hormonal methods. You might want a little more than what we cover here today on hormonal contraception methods. So if you’re left wanting more, check out Family Planning NSW.

Disclosure: Hormonal contraception methods will NOT protect you against Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs). The only way to protect against STIs is using the protection methods like condoms and dental dams from the previous blog.

The Good News

You can use a hormonal method AND condoms together!

BAM!!

Protection from STIs AND preventing unplanned pregnancy!

Combination Contraceptive Pill

This is a pill made up of 28 pills, 21 days of active pills and 7 days of inactive pills.

The pill contains the synthetic hormones Oestrogen and Progestogen and it works by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.

It also makes the mucus thicker in the cervix making it difficult for sperm to get to the uterus.

In every day/ typical use it is considered 93% effective. It may be less effective if you miss pills, vomit, have severe diarrhoea or have taken other medications making it less effective. #reallife

Implanon implant

A flexible rod about the size of match stick inserted under the skin of the upper inside arm for up to three years.

The progestogen hormone called etongestrel is slowly released into the system and it is 99.95% effective, cost efficient and can be used during breastfeeding.

Some women may experience their bleeding cycle change from no bleeding to heavy periods or continuous spot bleeding.

Hormonal Intra Uterine Device (IUD)

The IUD like the Mirena, is a small plastic T-shaped device placed inside the uterus.

The hormone levonorgestrel works by stopping the sperm from fertilising the egg and making the mucus in the cervix thicker.

It is inserted by a health professional and can be used for up to five years.

The Mirena is 99.9% effective and cost efficient. There is a small chance of infection when being inserted or removed.

Depot Medroxyprogestrone Acetate (DMPA)

An injection is administered every 12 weeks. This contains a similar hormone to progesterone and works by stopping the ovaries from releasing the egg and making mucus thicker in the cervix.

It is 99.8% effective, however this percentage will decrease if not taken every 12 weeks.

The DMPA can cause vaginal bleeding to stop altogether or make bleeding very light. Some disadvantages can include a delay in returning to fertility, it can cause weight gain and irregular bleeding.

Vaginal Ring

A plastic ring like the NuvaRing which contains estrogen and progestogen.

This is very similar to how the combination pill works. The ring is inserted by the user, like a tampon and hormones are absorbed through the vagina wall. The ring stays in places for three weeks and is then removed for one week and withdrawal bleeding happens, like a period.

It is 93% effective, although some medication may stop it from working properly and not being absorbed into the body.

Find your best fit

Just remember it is all about choice and one size does not fit all!

Some contraception methods work really well for some people and others do not. When putting hormones into the body it may take some time to adjust. It’s recommended to use a hormonal method for four months to see how it works with your body. It’s good to discuss lifestyle factors with a health care professional and what is going to work best for you.