Medically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D.
In case you’re on the lookout for a secure, efficient and hassle-free strategy to forestall being pregnant, long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) could also be possibility for you.
We reached out to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a scientific professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences on the Yale College Faculty of Medication and a member of HealthyWomen’s Ladies’s Well being Advisory Council, to search out out what questions you must ask your healthcare supplier (HCP) if you happen to’re contemplating utilizing LARC.
What’s long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)?
Because the identify suggests, long-acting reversible contraception is efficient contraception that lasts a very long time and will be simply reversed.
Most oral contraceptives can be near 100% efficient if we weren’t human, and we might bear in mind to take issues at precisely the identical time day-after-day and always remember something. However sadly, with real-world utilization the numbers are extra like 91% or 92%.
That’s the place the idea of long-acting reversible contraception is available in. It takes out the potential of human error.
What are the several types of LARC?
The intrauterine system (IUD) was one of many first LARC strategies. IUDs are small units which can be inserted into the uterus. They’re authorised to final anyplace from 3 to 10 years, relying on the model. Hormonal IUDs, comparable to Mirena, Skyla, Liletta and Kyleena, comprise progestin, a man-made model of the hormone progesterone. ParaGard, which is made from copper, is at present the one hormone-free type of LARC.
Many ladies like hormonal IUDs as a result of they can assist management bleeding, that means chances are you’ll not get a interval, or your intervals will likely be very gentle. And you may develop into fertile pretty rapidly after eradicating them. A draw back is that they’ll solely be put in by a HCP, and insertion and elimination may cause some ache.
Then there’s the contraceptive implant, Nexplanon, which is a progestin-releasing rod that’s put in your arm. It lasts for 3 years. The implant is an effective possibility for individuals who need long-lasting hormonal contraception however wish to keep away from estrogen. The commonest concern individuals have in regards to the implant is that lots of people get breakthrough bleeding with it. And it does should be inserted and eliminated by an HCP.
Who can use LARC strategies of contraception, and who shouldn’t?
Most girls can safely use LARC strategies, though all types of hormonal contraception have some circumstances the place they shouldn’t be used. For instance, ladies who’ve unexplained bleeding ought to keep away from LARCs till they’ll determine what’s inflicting them to bleed. A HCP can provide particular steerage round security issues.
It’s additionally essential to notice that LARCs don’t shield in opposition to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms are the one type of contraception that additionally prevents STIs.
What are some frequent misconceptions about LARC strategies?
I feel the most important false impression about LARC is that these strategies can negatively have an effect on a girl’s fertility in the long run. And that’s not the case. By definition, LARC is reversible.
One other false impression is that you need to maintain them in all the time they’re energetic, however that’s not true. You’ll be able to take away LARC at any time.
What questions ought to ladies ask themselves to be able to make an knowledgeable determination about contraception? What elements do you think about when making suggestions?
Whether or not a girl is beginning contraception for the primary time or considering a change after a few years with the identical type, I at all times wish to assist information her towards whichever one will make her glad — the one that may finest meet her particular person wants.
Is she solely seeking to forestall being pregnant, or does she wish to management bleeding too? Does she wish to begin a household sooner moderately than later? Different elements to contemplate embody ease and efficacy.
With so many secure and efficient choices accessible, ladies can select the one which finest meets their distinctive wants.
This useful resource was created with help from Organon and Co. and Sebela Ladies’s Well being, Inc.
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