CONTRACEPTION Adapted from: Choosing a Contraceptive That’s Right for U: Comparative Chart. SexualityandU.ca

CONTRACEPTION IS A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE WAYS TO PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGNANCY. WHAT IS CONTRACEPTION?

CONTRACEPTION METHODS USUALLY FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES HORMONAL METHODS BARRIER METHODS WHAT IS CONTRACEPTION?

GROUP ACTIVITY: METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION WHAT IS IT? HOW DOES IT WORK? HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? GROUP ACTIVITY: METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION Adapted from: Beyond the Basics: A Sourcebook on Sexuality and Reproductive Health. Canadian Federation for Sexual Health, 2005.

ABSTINENCE

ABSTINENCE/POSTPONING WHAT IS IT? CHOICE TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN CERTAIN SEXUAL CONTACT HOW DOES IT WORK? ABSTAIN FROM CERTAIN SEXUAL CONTACT HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 100% EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING PREGNANCY AND STI’S WHEN USED ALL THE TIME WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? BOUNDARIES, COMMUNICATION ABSTINENCE/POSTPONING

ABSTINENCE/POSTPONING WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? VERY EFFECTIVE NOT READY FOR SEX RELIGIOUS AND OR CULTURAL BELIEFS WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? READY FOR SEX PRESSURE FROM PARTNER NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARTNER ABSTINENCE/POSTPONING

CONDOMS

CONDOMS WHAT IS IT? PHYSICAL BARRIER, SOFT THIN SHEATH HOW DOES IT WORK? LATEX BARRIERS PREVENT SEMEN FROM GETTING INTO BODY CAVITIES HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 85% TYPICAL, 98% PERFECT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? NO PRESCRIPTION PURCHASE AT PHARMACY, DEPARTMENT STORE, CORNER STORE $12- $20 PER BOX FREE FROM THE PORCUPINE HEALTH UNIT, ANYTIME CONDOMS

CONDOMS WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? EASY TO GET EASY TO USE NO PRESCRIPTION PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM STI’S WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? REQUIRES PLANNING REDUCED SENSATION CONDOMS

ECP – MORNING AFTER PILL

ECP – MORNING AFTER PILL WHAT IS IT? HORMONE PILL HOW DOES IT WORK? HIGH DOES OF ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE DELAY OR PREVENT OVULATION CHANGES THE ENDOMETRIUM (THE LINING OF THE UTERUS) AND VAGINAL SECRETIONS HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 75% (APPROX) WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? AVAILABLE FROM SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC, PHARMACY AND DOCTOR WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION. ECP – MORNING AFTER PILL

ECP – MORNING AFTER PILL WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? NO OTHER CONTRACEPTION USED BROKEN CONDOM SEXUAL ASSAULT MISSED PILL WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD TOO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED (MORE THAN 5 DAYS) MEDICAL REASON NOT TO TAKE HORMONES IF THIS IS THE ONLY CONTRACEPTION TAKEN (SHOULD NOT BE USED ROUTINELY) ECP – MORNING AFTER PILL

ORAL CONTRACEPTION – THE PILL

ORAL CONTRACEPTION – THE PILL WHAT IS IT? HORMONE PILL, TAKEN DAILY HOW DOES IT WORK? CONTAINS ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE PREVENTS OVULATION THICKENS CERVICAL MUCOUS TO BLOCK SPERM THINS THE ENDOMETRIUM HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 92% TYPICAL, 99.7% PERFECT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? PRESCRIPTION FROM DOCTOR OR NP COSTS $20-$30 FROM A PHARMACY, $12 FROM THE PORCUPINE HEALTH UNIT ORAL CONTRACEPTION – THE PILL

ORAL CONTRACEPTION – THE PILL WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? VERY EFFECTIVE EASY TO USE, AND SAFE WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? RARE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS REMEMBERING TO TAKE IT EACH DAY ON TIME NO PROTECTION FROM STI’S ORAL CONTRACEPTION – THE PILL

CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH

CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH WHAT IS IT? A TRANSDERMAL PATCH ATTACHED TO THE SKIN HOW DO YOU USE IT? STAYS ON THE SKIN FOR 7 DAYS HORMONES ARE ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN PERFORMS THE SAME FUNCTIONS AS THE PILL HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 92% TYPICAL, 99.7 PERFECT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? A PRESCRIPTION FROM A DOCTOR OR NP $20-$30 FROM THE PHARMACY, $12 FROM THE PORCUPINE HEALTH UNIT CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH

CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? EFFECTIVE WHEN USED PROPERLY ONLY NEEDS TO BE CHANGED WEEKLY WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? RARELY, SKIN REACTION TO THE ADHESIVE NO PROTECTION FROM STI’S CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH

DEPO-PROVERA (THE NEEDLE)

DEPO-PROVERA (THE NEEDLE) WHAT IS IT? INJECTABLE HORMONES HOW DOES IT WORK? INJECTABLE PROGESTERONE PREVENTS OVULATION THINS THE ENDOMETRIUM THICKENS CERVICAL MUCOUS HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 97% TYPICAL, 99.7% PERFECT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? PRESCRIPTION FROM DOCTOR OR NP HAVE IT INJECTED BY NURSE OR DOCTOR COSTS ABOUT $40 PER INJECTION (EVERY 3 MONTHS) DEPO-PROVERA (THE NEEDLE)

DEPO-PROVERA (THE NEEDLE) WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? ONLY NEED TO HAVE AN INJECTION EVERY 3 MONTHS VERY EFFECTIVE NO PERIOD (USUALLY) WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS WITH LONG TERM USE (DECREASED BONE DENSITY) NO PROTECTION AGAINST STI’S DEPO-PROVERA (THE NEEDLE)

IUS – INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM

THE IUS – INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM WHAT IS IT? A T-SHAPED DEVICE INSERTED INTO THE UTERUS (CONTAINS HORMONES) HOW DOES IT WORK? THICKENS CERVICAL MUCOUS PREVENTS IMPLANTATION BY CHANGING THE LINING OF THE UTERUS MAY PREVENT THE RELEASE OF AN EGG HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? 99.8% TYPICAL, 99.8% PERFECT WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE IT? A PRESCRPTION FROM A DOCTOR OR NP A TRAINED DOCOTOR OR NP TO INSERT IT THE IUS – INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM

THE IUS – THE INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS METHOD? LONG ACTING PASSIVE MAY DECREASE OR CEASE MENSTRUAL FLOW WHY WOULD SOMEONE NOT CHOOSE THIS METHOD? EXPENSIVE TO GET STARTED MAY CAUSE SPOTTING OR IRREGULAR BLEEDING MUST BE INSERTED AND REMOVED BY A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL THE IUS – THE INTRAUTERINE SYSTEM

HORMONAL METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION OFFER NO PROTECTION AGAINST SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. THEY ONLY WORK TO PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGANCY. CONDOMS HELP TO PREVENT UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES AND HELP TO PROTECT AGAINST THE SPREAD OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. Remember…

Optional Class Activity: Birth Control Walkaround Adapted from: Birth Control Walkaround. Su Nottingham, 1996.