If you ask any woman, what is the worst thing that could happen to you when she has intercourse? In most cases, her reply is not to get pregnant. In early times, women in various communities were secluded from their husbands for a couple of months or years as a contraceptive measure.
Nowadays, with the advancements of technology, such practices are fading away and medics are providing better and effective means in preventing pregnancies. Some of the developed methods include use of oral and injectable contraceptives, barrier methods like the use of condoms, insertion of implants and surgical methods of contraception. Of the above, the commonly used contraceptive by up to 20 percent by a research conducted by WHO are the depo- provera and the monthly oral contraceptive pills.
Depo -provera is a progestin injectable drug that is usually given intramuscularly and its action can last up to 3 months. It acts by impeding fertilization of an ovum from occurring plus inhibiting implantation of a fertilized ovum on the uterus. When used correctly, only 1 out of 100 women will get pregnant and if used typically, only 2 out of 3 women will get pregnant. This drug is
Depo- provera can have side effects on the user like weight gain, formation of blood clots, impeding metabolism of other drugs, irregular menstruation, and nausea and vomiting. Depo- provera is usually contraindicated in patients with high blood pressure, a thrombotic disease and liver disease.
According to recent researchers, this drug has also been proven to increase a woman’s chance of getting HIV/AIDs. A woman on such method is 5 times more likely to engage in unprotected sex than a woman not on it. In addition, it also inhibits the normal hypothalamus pituitary axis leading to less production of follicle stimulating hormone. A reduction of this hormone leads to a decrease in the proliferative phase of the endometrium and hence would be thinner than normal giving a good entry point for the HIV.
Despite the mention controversies concerning depo provera usage, many women are still using it since the benefits outweigh the risks.
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