Conditions & Treatments

Contraception and Sexual Health - What it is

Birth Control Methods Available in KKH

LESS EFFECTIVE (76-82%)

Natural/timing
What is it?
• Withdrawal, temperature and calendar chart
Good point
• No physical side effects
Bad point
• Need to avoid sex or use condoms during fertile period

Male condoms
What is it?
• A sheath that covers the penis during sex
Good point
• No serious side effects
• Can help protect from sexually transmitted infection
Bad point
• May slip off or break
• Need to withdraw penis from vagina before penis goes soft and avoid spillage of semen during fertile period

EFFECTIVE (91-94%)

Pill
What is it?
• Hormone tablets that need to be taken daily
Good point
• Can make periods regular, lighter and less painful
• Protect from ovarian, womb and colon cancer
• Fertility returns once you stop taking the pill
Bad point
• Small risk of clots, breast and cervical cancer
• Temporary side effects include headache, mood changes and breast tenderness

Patch
What is it?
• Hormone stick-on patch that needs to be changed weekly
Good point
• Can make periods regular, lighter and less painful
• Fertility returns once you stop using the patch
Bad point
• Small risk of clots, breast and cervical cancer
• Temporary side effects include headache, mood changes, breast tenderness and skin irritation

Injection
What is it?
• Hormone injection that needs to be taken every three months
Good point
• May reduce heavy painful periods
Bad point
• Periods may stop, be irregular or last longer
• Periods and fertility may take time to return when stopping the injection
• Injection cannot be removed when you experience side effects

VERY EFFECTIVE (≥99%)

Intrauterine device (IUD) / Coil
What is it?
• T-shaped device that contains copper or hormone and needs to be replaced every five years (copper IUD)/ eight years (hormonal IUD)
Good point
• Hormone IUD can make periods lighter, shorter and less painful
• Copper IUD is non-hormonal and can avoid any potential hormonal side effects
• Fertility returns once IUD is removed
Bad point
• Hormone IUD may cause irregular spotting in the first six months
• Copper IUD can make periods heavier and more painful
• Small chance of infection after insertion (first 20 days)
• Insertion can be uncomfortable

Implant
What is it?
• Small hormone rod that is inserted under the skin on your arm and needs to be replaced every three years
Good point
• Fertility returns once implant is removed
Bad point
• Periods may stop, be irregular or last longer
• Small procedure to fit and remove it
• Possible side effects include headache, mood changes and breast tenderness

Female sterilisation
What is it?
• A key-hole surgery to apply clips on your fallopian tubes
Good point
• Periods are unaffected (risk of failure 1:200)
Bad point
• Need general anaesthesia
• Permanent method
• Risk of ectopic pregnancy if sterilisation fails

Male sterilisation
What is it?
• A minor surgery to tie off the sperm cords
Good point
• Most effective birth control method (risk of failure 1:2000)
Bad point
• Will need to be referred to a urologist

If you had sex and not used any reliable contraception…
Use EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
• Copper IUD
- Most effective
- Inserted within five days after unprotected sex
- Can be kept for long-term contraception
• ELLA tablet
- More effective than Postinor-2
- Should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex and within 120 hours
• Postinor-2 tablets
- Should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex and within 72 hours

The only methods you can use to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV:
• Abstinence (no sex)
- 100% effective
• Male CONDOM
- Up to 99% effective if use consistently and correctly

Note: This article only provides you with general information about birth control. Please consult the doctor for more information on the individual birth control methods or if you have any concerns

The information above is also available for download in pdf format.