Sergio Haimovich, researcher at the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona as well as author of the study that was printed in the European Journal Of Contraception And Reproduction Health Care, elucidated that the long-acting birth control means like the IUD, contraceptive injection or contraceptive implant are yet to be extensively used.

In European women subsequent to the male condom, the pill is the vastly accepted contraceptive means, whilst the intrauterine contraception (copper IUD or hormone-releasing IUS) is widely chosen as a long-lasting answer. From the more than eleven thousand women that were studied in fourteen European countries, long-term means were employed by 1,088 women – that was about ten percent of the sample.

The Spanish research, a branch of a broad-ranging study on the wide-ranging contraceptive outline of European women, assesses the usage of long-functioning reversible birth control means. Haimovich stated that those using them were thirty plus women who did not wish to bear more offspring and were exploring long-standing solutions. According to experts, girls in the younger age bracket employed diverse contraceptive methods.

Haimovich explicated that the reasons why particular birth control methods were chosen and how, were still unidentified. However, why was there a technical curiosity in the user report? He answered by saying that these queries could aid in formulating birth control recommendations that would be better modified to suit user needs.

Condom – A clear winner in Spain

The data takes into consideration the particular requirements of each country. Spain is one among the European countries where the condom is widely used by all age groups. But, a study revealed that hormonal methods like the pill or the ring are widely been employed.

The outcome of this study that garnered the award for the best work at the National Congress of Gynaecology during 25th September the current year, aids in elucidating what user’s wants are and enabling more apposite birth control means to be produced. Haimovich asserted that the scientist’s approach must perennially be to acclimatize their dissertation to that of the user’s needs and work in a way that makes them sentient to the user’s requirements.

For many years there have been soaring concerns regarding PID or Pelvic Inflammatory disease being associated to IUD, though it is unknown that IUD on its own doesn’t lead to PID. Rather, if one is suffering from a genital tract infection and goes in for an IUD insertion, the infection could spread into the uterus and fallopian tubes. If one is at risk of getting an STD, the doctor would examine and suggest appropriate treatment prior to getting an IUD.

Intrauterine devices lower the risk of getting pregnant inclusive of ectopic or tubal pregnancy. However, in the case of pregnancy in the presence of an IUD, there is a greater possibility of it being ectopic. Ectopic pregnancies need medications or surgical intervention in order to terminate the pregnancy. At times the fallopian tube related to the particular side would need to be taken out.

IUD usage could be a safe contraception choice in the following situations:

• Those women having a past of ectopic pregnancy for whom the duo choices of copper IUD and LNg IUD are apposite choices.
• Those with a past of erratic bleeding during periods and pain. The LNg IUD might be suitable for such women and in those with a bleeding disorder or those that are taking blood thinning medications (anticoagulants).
• Women with a risk of getting bacterial endocarditis. An antibiotics course would be administered during both the inserting and removal procedure.
• Diabetic women.
• Women that are breast feeding.
• The LNg IUD is an ideal option for those women with a past of endometriosis.

IUD might not be the right option for you when:

• Women that have never had a past pregnancy are more prone to having pain associated with IUD and have greater likelihood of the IUD being expelled following its insertion.
• Women presently having any kind of sexually transmitted disease or STD or have had an instance in the last three months.
• Women who are unwilling to use condoms in safeguarding themselves from STD’s.
• Those with an actively occurring infection in the vagina or cervix.
• Those having pelvic inflammatory disease or PID or with a lately occurred incidence of PID.
• Women with a bleeding disorder or having blood thinning medicines (anticoagulants). Though, the copper IUD cannot be used in such cases, in its place the LNg IUD could be used.
• Women with a problematic past with IUD.
• Women having anomalies in the uterus.
• Those women having uterine infection following delivery or a septic medical termination of pregnancy.
• Those with uterine bleeding of unclear basis.
• Those allergic to copper, hence the copper IUD would not be a feasible choice.

Those women that have one of the earlier plastic versions of IUDs like the Lippes Loop, must seek consultation regarding the replacement of the older IUD to a greatly effective copper or hormonal option.

Read more at: Intrauterine Device – IUD – The Effectual Birth Control Coil – Part V

• An average lowering of 90% in heavy bleeding during periods subsequent to the initial few months of usage.
• There is marked improvement in erratic menstrual bleeding (spotting and extended) subsequent to three to four months of IUD insertion.
• Lowers menstrual blood loss and cramping. In certain section of women, there was eventual stoppage of menstrual periods. In this situation not having periods is harmless.
• The LNg IUD may avert endometrial hyperplasia – a condition of unnatural thickening of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leading to a host of complications or prevents endometrial cancer or uterine cancer.
• Might lower the chance of developing PID or pelvic inflammatory disease – an inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries normally caused due to bacterial infection leading to chronic pelvic pain, sterility or other complications.
• Could effectually alleviate endometriosis and is known to lower the likelihood of occurrence of side effects than the high-dosage progestin.
• Lowers the chances of ectopic pregnancy.
• It does not lead to weight gain.

Associated Risks of IUD

There are certain risks that are related to the use of the IUD that comprise of:

• Problems during menstruation – Nearly twelve percent of those women that had IUD inserted opt for its removal due to increase in bleeding during periods or heightened cramping. Some women might additionally notice unnatural spotting in between periods. However, subsequent to three months of increase in bleeding or erratic spotting, the LNg IUD on an average of 90% lowers cramping during periods and bleeding.
• Puncture or Perforation of the Uterus – In one among one thousand women, the IUD would get lodges in or perforate the uterus. Though this form of puncture is atypical, it nearly always happens at the time of inserting the IUD. If the uterus gets punctured, it is necessary to get it removed.
• Ejection – Nearly two to ten percent of IUD’s inserted get ejected or expelled into the vagina from the uterus in the initial year after insertion. This expulsion normally occurs in the initial few months of usage and more often when inserted soon after delivery or in those women that have not been pregnant. The expulsion of the IUD implies that it is no more useful in protecting against pregnancy.

Read more at: Intrauterine Device – IUD – The Effectual Birth Control Coil – Part III

Presently, the pill has been refined even further to be totally tailor-made to suit women’s needs by including the feature of lesser or no menstrual cycle along with no signs of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and no nagging skin conditions. The birth control pill bandwagon comprising of Seasonale, Yaz, Yasmin, Lybrel and even Seasonique have made path-breaking changes in the field of birth control.

Christopher Estes, asst. professor of Obst. & Gynecology, University of Maimi School of Medicine has stated that these are basically variants of the age-old birth control pills that are dual combo of miniscule dosages of estrogen (lesser than 50 micrograms) and progestin that have had a safe track record.

Professor Estes further explained that the minor-varying hormonal composition in these pills cause lesser menses in those that have one. The novel progestin type that is utilized in certain pills assists in lowering mood swings and bodily symptoms that quite a few women experience prior to their menstrual cycle known as the PMDD or pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder. Even pimple or acne conditions are treated with this progestin type.

Patti J. Ross, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in University of Texas Medical School, Houston clears many doubts by stating that according to a generalised thumb rule, those pills that have estrogen assist in averting skin eruptions and pre-menstrual syndrome. She further added that the progestin type found in products such as Yasmin and Yaz have a different approach wherein they have a diuretic consequence that helps in reducing swelling, fluid- retention and weight increase.

The presently available birth control pills are quite lenient in comparison to those that were available in the past. In the earlier times, the pills had to be consumed at the exactly same time, daily, failing which there could be a possibility of ovulation. The new-fangled breed of birth-control pills has a buffer time zone wherein one can take them after a few hours, say if one doesn’t remember to have the morning tablet; one could still have it during the afternoon and not be hassled about it.