Sharing the burden: A guide to female contraceptives

Do you want to get pregnant? If you answered yes, your job is easy, go forth and conceive. For all you kids that screamed “noooo!”, read on, safe in the knowledge that the Well Woman Centre’s emergency number will soon be programmed into your speed dial.

Remember the days when sex outside marriage was simply not done? And as for having children out of wedlock? Well. You’d be rushed up the aisle in your maternity gear so as not to piss off the Bishop and bring shame on your family. Contraception would’ve been handy in those days.

We all know what a godsend contraceptives are when abstinence is no longer a viable option. But how much do we really know about those little pills? Are we taking the right one? What happens when you miss one? Can contraceptive pills really make you gain weight? The more we know about our contraception the safer and healthier we’ll be.

Here’s a scary statistic: 25 million unplanned pregnancies occur worldwide every year as a result of incorrect use of contraception. That’s 25 million women in crisis because of a lack of knowledge about their contraceptive. The Irish Family Planning Agency (IFPA) and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency are both in place to inform Irish women about their options, both for contraception and in the instance of a crisis pregnancy.

Meghan Doherty, Policy and Advocacy officer with the IFPA, says that the level of information Irish women have about contraception and pregnancy varies, but that’s why events in colleges like Shag Week are so important.

She says: “Depending on their school, how open they were with their parents, girls can either be well informed or not so well. Shag weeks are great ways to inform people and get people thinking about regular contraception.”

“Education is so important, the more girls know the better they can take care of themselves. Always speak to your doctor about the contraceptive that suits you. Everyone is different.”

Here is a brief look at some of the contraceptives available to women in Ireland today. This list is not exhaustive and your doctor will be able to recommend which type is most suited to you.

The Pill: the combined pill contains two hormones, oestrogen and progestogen, combined in different amounts. Side effects like leg cramps, migraines, mood swings, breast tenderness, decreased sex drive and acne can mean you are on an unsuitable pill for your body. Your doctor will help you find the right one. The pill is 99% effective if taken carefully. It acts by preventing ovulation, making fertilisation impossible. Vomiting, diarrhoea or taking antibiotics can reduce its effectiveness. This type of contraception is the most common among women between the ages of 18 and 35.

The Implant: “Implanon” is a rod shaped device implanted into a woman’s arm just above her elbow. It’s invisible but can be felt with your fingertips.

It protects against pregnancy for three years in most women, two years if you are overweight. Check ups are advised yearly. Removal of the implant is easy and bruising and a couple of stitches are all that’s left.

The Mini Pill: contains just one hormone, norethisterone. It works by thickening the mucus at the cervix and altering the lining of womb to prevent implantation. It is 95 – 99% effective, best for women who are breastfeeding, older women, smokers, diabetics and women with hypertension and it is not usually recommended for young women.

If all else fails, and the worst happens, emergency contraception, the ‘morning-after pill’, can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, it being most effective the earlier it is taken. It is only effective once per menstrual cycle. This emergency contraception costs €60 or €42 with a student card.

For all the information you could need on safe sex, contraception and sexual health, visit: www.thinkcontraception.ie or www.crisispregnancy.ie.