Family Planning Methods- A greater volume of vaginal discharge occurs following intercourse, as both
semen and spermicide are discharged. Some women find this a bother. - If 1,000 women used the vaginal spermicide method for one year, approximately
76 of these would have unplanned pregnancies. This includes those women who
failed to use the spermicide before each intercourse. - Hormonal Preparations
(a) Oral Contraceptives (“The Pill”)The oral contraceptive method requires a woman to take a contraceptive pill or tablet every
day for 21 days. Every woman beginning to use this method, takes the first pill 5 days after the
start of her menstrual period. She then takes one pill every day until she has taken 21 pills. Then
she stops taking the pills, and within 2 to 3 days, her period should begin. 7 days after taking the
last tablet, she begins taking the pill again for the next 21 days and repeats the cycle. This routine
continues month after month for as long as the woman wishes to prevent pregnancy.
The pills are basically composed of two hormones closely resembling natural hormones.
When these substances are taken, they signal the body not to produce an egg. Since no egg is
produced while the pill is being taken, no egg will be present in the woman’s body to unite with
the male sperm during intercourse. When she stops taking the pill, ovulation begins again.^5
Advantages
- The combined oral contraceptive, the Pill, is the safest contraceptive with nearly
100% protection provided it is taken daily as recommended. It has a pregnancy
rate of 0.3% per hundred women. - It does not require preparation before intercourse.
Disadvantages:- The pill has to be used simultaneously with another contraceptive method for at
least one month. - Nausea is common in the first cycle and can be reduced by taking the pills last
thing at night. - Tenderness and slight enlargement of the breasts may occur, but usually cease after
a few cycles. - The “menstrual” loss is usually reduced. Inter-menstrual spotting (breakthrough
bleeding) may occur. - An initial weight-gain of 0.5 kg is common. This is usually lost after a few cycles;
changing to another pill sometimes decreases the weight gain. - Hypertension may occur especially during the first year of use and in patients over 30.
- Cholestatic jaundice––yellow eyes and dark urine.
- The risk of venous thrombosis, embolism, coronary thrombosis and cerebral
haemorrhage is increased in women taking the combined pill.