Contraception options
Contraceptive counseling is effective. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to pregnancy; hence, a contraceptive counseling is necessary and leads to more positive perceptions of the health care provider who offers this information. Discussions are conducted between the patient and the nurse practitioner, and some questions are important. It is also important for the nurse practitioner to ask about the woman’s reproductive health. Some helpful questions may include the size of the desired family, the intended timing of pregnancy, the importance of avoiding pregnancy, the contraceptives she may prefer and whether the woman attempts to prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections (Thomas, June 06, 2012).
Some oral contraceptives used for birth control include estrogen-containing pills and progestin-only pills. The progestin-only pill only contains progestin. Progestin- only oral contraceptives, unfortunately, do not prevent sexually transmitted infections. Estrogen-containing pills are pills which contain both estrogen and progestin hormones. Estrogen hormone is useful for supporting the uterine lining to prevent mid-cycle breakthrough bleeding (Opoku, Baafuor, and Kwaununu, 2011). It also prevents the pituitary gland from producing follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone so that ovulation does not occur
Apparently, estrogen-containing pills are more effective than progestin-only pills. A female patient seeking to counsel about Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) needs to know that: they are one of the most effective methods of birth control. There are two kinds of IUDs; copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs. These types are known to be the safest and effective birth control methods for teenagers. They offer the best option for anyone seeking lasting pregnancy protection. There are fewer hazards and stigmas associated with the use of IUDs (Women’s H Edwards, Steinman, Arnold, and Hakanson, January 01, 2010).
A nineteen-year-old female seeking emergency contraception would be asked questions like the number of hours since she last had unprotected sex, information about her menstruation period, medical conditions such as vaginal bleeding, other medicines she is using, her usual means of contraception and why she need emergency contraception. The questions she would be asking would determine whether I would give her the contraceptive or not. It would also depend on whether the intercourse was consensual or not.
References
Thomas, A. (June 06, 2012). Three Strategies to Prevent Unintended Pregnancy. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 31, 2, 280-311.
Opoku, Baafuor, & Kwaununu, Fauster. (2011). Knowledge and Practices of Emergency Contraception among Ghanaian Women. (African Journal of Reproductive Health (ISSN: 1118- 4841) Vol 15 Num 2.)
Rosenfeld, L., & Lim, S. S. (2012). Planning ahead: Evaluating trends in modern contraceptive prevalence and contraception’s effect on fertility rates between 1990 and 2010.
Speroff, L., & Darney, P. D. (2011). A clinical guide for contraception. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Women’s H Edwards, L. E., Steinman, M. E., Arnold, K. A., & Hakanson, E. Y. (January 01, 2010). Adolescent contraceptive use: experience in 1,762 teenagers. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 137, 5, 583-7. ealth and Action Research Centre.
