Female condom

The female condom is a prelubricated pouch that is designed and made of polyurethane that is soft thin  and stronger than latex and  has a flexible ring at each end  it is  worn by female  inside  the vagina during sex The ring at the closed end holds the female condom in the vagina and provides a barrier against ejaculate and pre-ejaculate ring at the open end stays outside the vaginal opening that's where the penis is inserted if used correctly,female condoms are up to 95 percent effective against pregnancy, and they also help reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Female condoms are available at some drugstores and health centers, and they are sold online under the brand name FC (Female Condom).Female condoms should only be used once.

Below shows some pictures of female condoms in different sizes a hint on how they look like.

The goodness of Female Condoms 

Insertion of female condom is easy it does not require  a prescription  furthermore it can be  Easily  obtain in hospitals and health centers around the globe free of charge.
female condom has no effect on a woman’s natural hormones fortunately it allows women to share responsibility for preventing sexual transmitted infection in addition they do not interrupt sexual spontaneity.
Female condom is  to be inserted before intercourse and should  stay in place whether or not a man maintains his erection and is not must you remove the female condom immediately after a man ejaculation.

The badness of female condom;

1.      The Female Condom may slip into the vagina during intercourse
2.      Feeling and sensation can be reduced
3.      The inner ring may irritate the penis
4.      The outer ring may irritate the vulva
5.      Vaginal irritation may occur·      
6.      Some women find it to be uncomfortable
7.      I may be noisy. 

The female condom may not be appropriate for women who are not comfortable touching their genitals Once the outer ring is visible outside the vagina,some women may feel self-consciouse.

Birth patch method

Patch

 Is a hormonal birth control  also known as orthoevra,  small in size look like a  band aid   worn on any part of the body onto the skin excluding the  breasts. The patch contains estrogen and progesterone which are absorb slowly into the blood stream to prevent ovulation in taking place.The patch birth is effective for women who are forgetful in taking other forms of birth example pills. Unfortunately it is less effective for women who weigh more than 196pounds.Replacement is once a week for three consecutive week having problems with the patch consult the nearest women health centers or clinic near your area.

  Women health is more important to the healthcare provider;

Women are advised to start using Patch within 5 days of the 1st day of your period or after a first trimester abortion.  In the case of second trimester abortion or giving birth, wait for 4 weeks to apply your first Patch. If breastfeeding, consult your health care provider.

After filling your prescription from a clinic, apply the Patch birth yourself as advised by the doctor.Select part of your skin that is clean and dry. The Patch should be placed on a different spot every time to avoid skin irritation, but never apply it on the breasts. Try to place it where it will not be rubbed by tight clothing. When you apply the Patch, peel away the packaging without touching the sticky surface. Press the sticky medicated part on your skin for 15 seconds. Make sure the patch birth is sticking. Use one Patch per week for three consecutive weeks. Do not apply the patch on the fourth week and your menstrual cycle should begin by then.

A new Patch is applied 7 days after removal to start another month of birth control. The Patch should not be worn continuously, it is important to have the week off during which your period occurs. Store Patches for future use at room temperature required.

Effectiveness of patch

When a woman starts using Patch on the first day of her menstrual period or on the day of an abortion, no backup is needed. If she starts the Sunday after an abortion or the onset of menstruation after an abortion, the manufacturer recommends 7 days of using  backup method  either condom or diaphragm. The effectiveness of the Patch is lowered when taken with certain medications, including antibiotics, anti-seizure, tuberculosis, and migraine medications. certain drugs used to treat H.l.V and aids may also interfere with the Patch method of birth. If you are taking any medications tell your doctor.

Knowledge every woman using birth patch should have;

Check the placement of your birth Patch daily because it should not be loose or fall off and if it has fallen for less than a day, reapply it or put on a new Patch as soon as possible don't worry because the effectiveness of the patch.

If a woman has not placed her patch over 24hrs nor is not sure how long it has been, it is recommended you start your four week patch cycle over again. Use a new Patch as soon as possible and record the day of the week. For the first seven days of this new cycle, you may not be protected against pregnancy. Use back up methods of birth for seven days.

MISS PATCH

If you forget to change your Patch at the beginning of a monthly cycle, you can apply one as soon as you remember. Record this day of the week as your new Patch change day and use back-up methods of birth for the next 7 days.

If you forget to change your Patch by 1 or 2 days in the middle of a monthly cycle, change your Patch as soon as you remember. 

If you forget to change your Patch by more than 2 days in the middle of a cycle, put on a new Patch as soon as possible. You will begin a new four-week Patch cycle with this Patch. Record the day of the week and use back-up methods of birth for the next seven days.

Contraindication

Women over 35 who smoke or have any of the following conditions should not use birth Patch method

• History of heart attack or stroke
• Chest pain
• Blood clots
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Severe high blood pressure
• Diabetes with kidney, eye, nerve or blood vessel complications
• Known or suspected cancer
• Known or suspected pregnancy
• Liver tumors or liver disease
• Headaches with neurological symptoms
• Hepatitis or jaundice
• Disease of the heart valves with complications
• Require long bed rest following surgery
• Allergic reaction to the Patch 

Men who have a family history of breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, headaches or epilepsy, depression, gallbladder disease, kidney disease, heart disease, irregular periods, or are breastfeeding may not be able to use the birth Patch. Women over 198 pounds may not receive a large enough hormone dose for the Patch to be effective. A woman gets more estrogen in her body from the Patch than she would get from low-dose birth control pills or the vaginal Ring.

 Side effects

• Skin irritation or rashes at site of Patch
• Irregular bleeding
• Problems wearing contact lenses
• Fluid retention or raised blood pressure
• Nausea
• Headache
• Breast tenderness
• Mood changes
• Menstrual cramps
• Abdominal pain

 Warning Danger Signs

Women who experience any of the following symptoms while using the Contraceptive Patch should visit women health centers or call the nearest clinic.

• Abdominal pains (severe)
• Chest pain or shortness of breath
• Headaches (severe)
• Eye problems, such as blurred vision
• Severe leg or arm pain or numbness

The goodness of patch birth is that;

• Easy to use.
• Can be worn for three weeks.
• Effects fertility one month at a time.
• Does not interrupt sex.

The badness of patch birth is that;

• Does not protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS.
• Risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Requires a prescription from a qualified doctor.

see more details on vaginal hormonal rings

INJECTABLES(SHOTS)

Injectables are one of the methods of birth which has DEPOT formulations containing hormonal drugs that provide women with safe highly effective long acting and reversible protection.

Types of shots

•  Progestogen only formulation that contains Progestogen hormone which is effective for 2 or 3 months only. 
• Combine formulations which contain both progesterone and estrogen and are effective for only 1 month. The technique is done by qualified nurse or doctor.

PROGESTERONE ONLY FORMULAR

 It consists of DMPA (Depot-medroxy progesterone acetate or depot-provera) and NET-EN (norethisterone enantate)


DMPA(Depot-medroxy progesterone acetate or depot-provera)

The injectable formulation is mostly used worldwide in hospitals and health centers.Dose of 150mg administered by deep intramuscular injection into the buttock or arm to avoid sepsis and to be highly effective.Given to a woman  for every 3 months it acts by suppression of ovulation, it does not affect lactation in any way so a mother can continue breastfeeding the child.No cardiovascular risks is encountered with depot injection.
side effects

•   Weight gain      
• Irregular menstrual bleeding
• Prolonged infertility after its use

NET-EN (Norethisterone enantate)

    Dose mostly given is 200mg intramuscular at the buttock or arm given at every two months its action is to inhibit of ovulation and it has slightly failure rate than DMPA.Injectable methods of birth is slowly absorbed into the blood stream from  any of the injection sites with the body maintaining a sufficient  level of hormone  to provide contraception for 1 to 3 months depending on the type of injectables used  and they are highly effective if the dates given for the next appointment by health professionals are followed strictly.