Every woman in her life is faced with the choice of contraception. One of the methods is birth control injections. This is an effective method of preventing prolonged action. To prevent unwanted pregnancy, hormonal injections are more than 99% reliable.
The effect of birth control injections can be compared with the use of oral contraceptives, a vaginal ring or a spiral. The composition of such drugs includes progestin or testosterone, which are similar to hormones produced by the body of a woman and a man. This method of contraception can be started at any time during the menstrual cycle in the absence of pregnancy.
Male contraception
At the moment, birth control injections for men have not received such popularity as women, due to low efficacy and side effects. Most men use condoms, resort to interrupted intercourse, or have a vasectomy.
Contraceptive injections for men include artificial hormone testosterone. In large quantities, it reduces the motor activity of the sperm cells needed to fertilize the egg.
Male hormonal contraception, like female contraception, does not provide any protection against sexually transmitted infections.
Pros of hormonal contraception for men
The benefits of using birth control injections in men are:
- reversibility of the contraceptive method, in contrast to vasectomy;
- an alternative for couples who cannot use certain methods of female contraception, such as combined birth control pills.
Cons of using injections for men
According to studies and observations, male contraceptive injections have several disadvantages, for example:
- Side effects: acne, increased sweating, weight gain, decreased sex drive.
- Injections do not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
- To terminate the drug will need up to six months.
- According to statistics, in 1 out of 25 men, sperm production during injection does not stop.
Injections for women
There are several names for contraceptive injections for women. The most popular drug is Depo-Provera. Injections are usually administered during the first 5 days of the menstrual cycle. In this case, the contraceptive effect of the drug begins immediately. If the procedure is carried out on other days of the cycle, it is necessary to wait up to 7 days until the contraceptive effect is achieved. Repeated injection is carried out after 12 weeks.
Another drug that protects against unwanted pregnancy is Noristerat. Unlike Depo-Provera, this injection is administered at intervals of 8 weeks. Due to the thicker oily consistency, Noristerata injections are a little painful.
Operating principle
When contraceptive injections are used, artificial progesterone is released into the blood. It is similar to the natural hormone secreted by a woman’s body during the menstrual cycle. Injections provide reliable contraception for 3 months.
The continuous action of progestin as part of injections has the following effect on the body:
- ovulation stops;
- thickens mucus from the cervix, thereby making it difficult for sperm to pass;
- the thickness of the endometrium decreases, as a result of which a fertilized egg cannot stay in the uterus.
Birth control injections are artificial hormonal drugs. Synthetic progesterone injections are usually injected into the buttock (sometimes in the leg or arm) during the first five days of the menstrual cycle. This provides protection against unwanted pregnancy immediately after the introduction of the hormone into the muscle.
Repeated injection is carried out between 8 and 12 weeks after the previous administration of the drug. In cases where a woman for some reason skips the procedure, you should refrain from unprotected sex, use condoms.
Indications
Birth control injections are a method of long-term contraception. The drug is prescribed only after consulting a gynecologist. The specialist assesses the state of health of the woman, collects an anamnesis and, if necessary, prescribes an additional study. The procedure is also performed only by a doctor.
A specialist can prescribe contraceptive injections in the following cases:
- inability to take pills daily;
- contraindication to the use of preparations containing estrogen;
- the presence of health problems such as anemia, convulsions, sickle cell disease, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids.
Contraindications
Progesterone injections for contraception can be given to most women. However, this method of protection from unwanted pregnancy is not suitable in the following cases:
- pregnancy may have already begun;
- vaginal bleeding of an unknown nature;
- emergency contraception after unprotected intercourse;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease
- stroke;
- diabetes;
- liver disease
- risk of blood clots;
- migraine;
- depression;
- tendency to osteoporosis;
- a history of breast cancer.
It is also worth noting that birth control injections lower the natural level of estrogen. For this reason, this method of contraception is not recommended to be used until reaching the age of majority (18 years).
Benefits
Absolutely safe drugs do not exist. There are also pros and cons to using birth control injections. The main advantage of contraceptive injections is that they protect against the occurrence of an unwanted pregnancy immediately after the first injection. Other positive factors include:
- The rarity of the drug. Injections are administered after 8-12 weeks.
- No need to interrupt your sex life.
- An alternative when it is impossible to use other methods of contraception.
- The drug is safe for breastfeeding.
- There is no interaction with other medicines.
- Injections can reduce discomfort in the premenstrual period, menstrual pain, the intensity of blood loss during menstruation.
disadvantages
The disadvantages of birth control injections for women include the appearance of various side effects. In some cases, they can occur only in the first time after administration of the drug, in others - constantly. These include:
1. Menstrual irregularities.
In the first year of using birth control injections in women, significant changes in the menstrual cycle can be observed. As a rule, these periods can become irregular, painful, short, or stop altogether. By the end of the first year of using birth control injections, 70% of women have amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). After completion of the drug, it may take from 3 months to a year to completely restore the menstrual cycle and hormonal levels.
2. Increases in weight.
Many women after using hormonal injections notice a slight increase in their weight. In this case, it is necessary to reduce calorie intake and increase physical activity.
3. Bone problems.
Using contraceptive injections for more than two years can lead to thinning of bone. It is impossible to completely reverse this condition even after discontinuation of the drug. Therefore, some doctors recommend that women take calcium and vitamin D while they use this method of contraception.
In addition to the side effects described above, some women may experience:
- headache,
- increased sensitivity of the mammary glands,
- mood swings
- decreased or increased sex drive,
- hair loss,
- nausea
- the appearance of acne,
- bloating and stomach cramps
- rarely an allergic reaction.
As you get used to the drug, most side effects usually go away. It is also worth noting that contraceptive injections for women are very painful.
This method does not protect partners from infection with sexually transmitted infections.
The risks
According to studies, the use of hormonal contraception increases the risk of cancer, such as breast cancer. If this type of malignancy has occurred in relatives, a woman should be given birth control injections. In such cases, it is safer to use barrier contraceptive methods, such as condoms.
Features to use
Birth control injections or injections of a hormonal drug are usually injected into the muscles of the arms, legs, or buttocks. The procedure can be performed on any day of the cycle, but most often done on the 5th day after the start of menstruation. Birth control injections are compatible with breastfeeding. Therefore, injections can be started 6 weeks after delivery.
The contraceptive effect after administration of the drug lasts up to 12 weeks. Then you need to re-injection.
Reviews
Some women cannot use different types of contraception for a number of reasons. Hormone injections are a great alternative to condoms, oral contraceptives, implants. But it is worth remembering that only a doctor can prescribe such drugs.
Many women report a number of benefits in using hormone injections to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. The most important is the low frequency of the procedure. The drug is administered 1 time in 3 months. During this period, you do not need to think about taking any pills, there is no need to use condoms with a regular partner, there is no fear of becoming pregnant.
However, reviews of contraceptive injections for women are mixed, as many experience side effects after applying hormonal injections. Very often, the menstrual cycle is violated in women, problems with weight, skin, and bone system are observed. Restoring the body, hormonal levels and fertile function takes a long time. Menstrual irregularities are the most common cause of discontinuation of this method.
Unlike oral contraceptives taken daily, the contraceptive effect of the injection cannot be stopped. A woman can only wait for the end of the term of exposure to the drug. It is worth remembering that the consequences of using injections are not fully understood. There are many ways to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Before choosing a method of contraception, you need to consult a gynecologist, and also weigh all the pros and cons.