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Contraceptive Patch

Written by Jane Carrasco

 

patch

 

 

Does The Contraceptive Patch Work?

 

The birth control patch is a prescription patch that prevents pregnancy by delivering a continuous amount of the same two hormones found in the pill, estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and progestin (norelgestromin) into the bloodstream.

 

The patch is a small, thin, beige, plastic patch that sticks to the skin on the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso (except for the breasts), or the outer part of the upper arm. It is worn for one week and then replaced on the same day of the week for three consecutive weeks. The fourth week is spent freed from the patch and this is when you should expect to have your period. Ortho Evra was the first skin patch approved for birth control.
 
 
The hormones work by keeping a woman from ovulating. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm. The hormones in the Ortho Evra patch also prevent pregnancy by thickening a woman's cervical mucus, which help to stop the sperm from joining with an egg.

 

What Are The Chances I Will Get Pregnant Using A Birth Control Patch?

 

The birth control patch is very effective and less than 1 out of 100 women will get pregnant each year if they always use Ortho Evra as directed. To keep the correct level of hormone in a woman's body always place it on the skin on time each day.



The patch is less effective for women who weigh more than 198 pounds. But it may still be a good option for women of all sizes. You must see a physician to get a prescription. Talk with your health care provider if you are concerned about how well Ortho Evra may or may not work for you. The patch isn't for everybody. Remember to store your unused, sealed patches at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.



A few of the advantages to using Ortho-Evra are the appearance of less acne, protection against ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, iron deficiencies, endometrial and ovarian cancers protection increases with each year of use. Not to mention how easy it is to use.

 

Now that you're familiar with the benefits, let's look at the possible disadvantages.

 

What Are The Side Effects Of The Patch?

 

Women who use birth control with estrogen, like Ortho Evra, have a slightly greater chance of certain rare, but serious, problems than nonusers. The most serious in very rare cases may be fatal. These include heart attack, stroke, having a blood clot in the legs, lungs, heart, or brain. Studies have found that women using the patch may have a higher risk of getting blood clots than women taking most kinds of birth control pills. But a woman's overall risk of any major problem while using the patch is low.

 

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Other disadvantages include:

 

# does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other STD's
# bleeding between periods
# nausea and vomiting
# change sex drive
# irritation of skin where the patch is
# develop high blood pressure

 

* the antibiotic rifampin other antibiotics do not make the patch less effective

 

 

 

Disclaimer
The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. The content provided is intended strictly for informational purposes to help patient understanding of medical terms and conditions.

 

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