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Contraception - implants and injections

Hormonalcontraceptionforwomenisavailableintheformofimplantsorinjectionsthatrelease thecontraceptiveintothebodyoverasustainedperiodoftime. Hormonalimplantsandinjectionsareveryeffectiveifusedcorrectly,butcancausesideeffects. Speakwithyourdoctororhealthcareproviderabouttheformofcontraceptionthatbestsuitsyour needs. Otherformsofhormonalcontraceptionincludeoraltablets(thepillandtheminipill),thehormonal IUDandthevaginalring.

Ima ge des crip

Implanon
Implanonisahormonalimplantthesizeofamatchstickwhichisinsertedundertheskinatthe innersideoftheupperarm.This4cm-longimplantcontainsetonogestrel,aprogesterone-like hormonethatpreventsovulation.Thishormonealsothickensthemucusinthecervix(entranceto theuterus),preventingspermfromgettingthrough.Thedeviceisinsertedunderlocalanaesthetic byadoctor. AdvantagesofImplanon: Itscloseto100percenteffective. Itlastsforthreeyears. Itcostsaround$34forMedicarecardholdersandischeaperforhealthcarecardholders. Atmost,ittakesjustoneweektostartworking(dependingonwhentheimplantis inserted). Itssafetousewhenbreastfeeding. Itcanbeusedbymostwomenwhocanttakesyntheticoestrogens. Womenusuallystartovulatingagainwithinthreeweeksofremovingtheimplant.

DisadvantagesofImplanon: Somebruisinganddiscomfortaroundtheimplantiscommonandmightlastuptoaweek. Itcancauseirregularitieswithperiods,suchasbreakthroughbleeding. Itcancauseheadaches,acne,breasttendernessorincreasedappetite. Itcanmovefromitsoriginalpositionundertheskin. Thereisaslightriskofinfectionorbleedingaroundtheimplant. Implanondoesntprotectagainstsexuallytransmissibleinfections(STIs).

DMPA injections (Depo-Provera/Depo-Ralovera)

Depo-ProveraandDepo-Raloveraarelong-acting,injectablecontraceptivesthatcontainonlythe syntheticformofprogesterone,depotmedroxyprogesteroneacetate(DMPA).Eachinjectionof DMPApreventsanunplannedpregnancyfor12to14weeks. Injectablecontraceptivespreventovulationandthickenthemucusinthecervix,preventingsperm fromgettingthrough.Theyalsocausechangestotheliningoftheuterus,makingitdifficultfora fertilisedeggtostick.Injectablecontraceptivescanalsobeusedtotreatwomenwithmenstrual problems. YouwillneedtotalkwithyourdoctororhealthcareproviderbeforeyoustartusingDMPA,asthis formofcontraceptionisntsuitableforallwomen.

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AdvantagesofDMPAinjections: Injectablecontraceptionisveryeffectiveandconvenient. Itssafetousewhenbreastfeeding,especiallyifthebabyisoversixweeksold. About50percentofwomenusinginjectablecontraceptivesdonthaveperiods,which somewomenseeasanadvantage.

DisadvantagesofDMPAinjections: Theinjectioncantbereversedorwithdrawn,sosideeffectsmightlast12to14weeks. Itcanproduceunpredictableirregularitieswithperiods. Thereisadelayinreturntofertilityaftertheinjectionisstopped. Itcanbeassociatedwithareductioninbonedensity. Somewomenexperiencesideeffectssuchasweightgain,headachesordepression. Injectablecontraceptivesdontprotectagainstsexuallytransmissibleinfections(STIs).

Maleinjectablecontraceptivesarecurrentlybeingtrialled.

Other types of contraception

ThereareanumberofcontraceptivemethodsavailableinAustralia.Speakwithyourdoctoror healthcareprovideraboutyouroptions.Themethodyouchoosewilldependonyourgeneral health,lifestyleandrelationships.Itsimportanttoweighupthebenefitsandpossiblenegative effectsofeachmethodandthinkaboutyourcurrentandfutureneeds.

Protect against STIs

Itisimportanttopractisesafersex.Thebestwaytoreducetheriskofsexuallytransmissible infections(STIs)istousebarrierprotectionsuchasmaleandfemalecondomsanddams(athin pieceoflatexplacedovertheanalorvulvalareaduringoralsex).Condomscanbeusedfororal, vaginalandanalsexwithothercontraceptivemethodstohelppreventthespreadofinfections.

Where to get help

Yourdoctor FamilyPlanningVictoriaTel.(03)92570100or1800013952 ActionCentre(foryoungpeopleagedunder25)Tel.(03)96544766or1800013952 TheWomensHealthInformationCentre(WHIC)Tel.(03)83453045or1800442007 MelbourneSexualHealthCentreTel.(03)93416200or1800032017orTTY(forthe hearingimpaired)(03)93478619 Communityhealthcentre Pharmacist.

Things to remember

Hormonalcontraceptionforwomenisavailableintheformofslow-releaseimplantsor injections. Differentmethodsmightsuityouatdifferenttimesinyourlife. Condomsprovidethebestavailableprotectionagainstsexuallytransmissibleinfections (STIs).

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

FamilyPlanningVictoria

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Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen preparedforVictorianresidentsandwiderAustralianaudiences,andwasaccurateatthetimeof publication.Readersshouldnotethat,overtime,currencyandcompletenessoftheinformation maychange.Allusersareurgedtoalwaysseekadvicefromaregisteredhealthcareprofessional fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions. Forthelatestupdatesandmoreinformation,visitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Copyight 1999/2012StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)atnocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth. Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthecopyrightareprohibitedwithout permission.

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