Contraception

The opportunity to make a conscious decision on whether and when to have children has also decisively strengthened women's role in society. Modern contraception makes it possible for children to be planned children. A partnership based on love, in which the couple both decide in favor of having a child together, is the best prerequisite for happy child development. Thanks to hormonal contraceptives, women and men today can experience love without the fear of unwanted pregnancy.

Different methods – individual prescription

Hormonal contraceptives contain sexual hormones whose effect is similar to that of the body's own estrogens and progestins. There are various different forms of hormonal contraception

For example, the hormones can be taken in the form of a pill (oral contraceptives). Combination pills, containing an estrogen and a progestin, are the most common form of hormonal contraception. Today, more than 80 million users worldwide have confidence in the reliability of the combination pill. Combination pills not only protect women against unwanted pregnancy, they also have additional health advantages. For example, they reduce the risk of contracting ovarian or endometrial cancer.

Hormonal depot preparations slowly release hormones into the body over a certain period of time. They include the intrauterine delivery system, injection products, implants, patches, and the vaginal ring.

Hormonal contraceptives have to be individually prescribed – usually by a gynecologist. When choosing a method, important criteria include a woman's age and medical needs, her current situation in life, her personal preferences, and what she expects of the contraceptive method. There are also women for whom hormonal contraceptives are not suitable.

The combination pill: the progestin makes the difference

Combination pills contain an estrogen and a progestin. Although it is the progestin that has the actual contraceptive effect, an estrogen is added. As in the natural menstruation cycle, the effects of estrogen and a progestin on the lining of the uterus (endometrium) complement each other to ensure a regular cycle.

While most combination pills contain the estrogen ethinyl estradiol, there are various different synthetic progestins. Some progestins have other positive effects in addition to their contraceptive effect. The novel progestin drospirenone is similar to the body's own hormone progesterone.

In the most successful micropill in the world, 3 milligrams of drospirenone are combined with 30 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol. This micropill is more than a reliable contraceptive. Thanks to its antimineralocorticoid properties, drospirenone counteracts estrogen-related fluid retention, signs of which include weight gain, and an unpleasant feeling of bloating or fullness. Drospirenone balances out these estrogen-related effects better than all other progestins that have been developed up to now. This DRSP-containing micropill is the most successful hormonal contraceptive in the world today.

A DRSP-containing pill was recently launched containing only 20 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol. The particular advantage of this products is its unique administration regime: hormone-containing tablets are taken for 24 days, followed by 4 days of tablets containing no active ingredient. This regime reduces the typical monthly hormone fluctuations that occur in connections with traditional OCs. Most pills are taken for 21 days with an active ingredient, followed by 7 days with none. This new product has also been approved for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoria (PMDD), a particularly severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Thanks to the special properties of drospirenone and the advantages of the new administration regime, the products eases the emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoria.

Since drospirenone also has anti-androgenic properties, this new pill has also been approved for the treatment of acne.

Contraception using the hormone IUD

The hormone IUD (intrauterine device) is fitted directly into the uterine cavity. It contains a plastic cylinder containing the progestin levonorgestrel. This hormone cylinder is fixed to an elastic plastic "T", which ensures its secure support in the uterus.

Small doses of hormones are released slowly and regularly into the uterine cavity. The hormone IUD's thus protects women locally, reliably, and conveniently, thus meeting the different needs and situations of its users. The presence of the hormone IUD is not felt, and right from the first day its contraceptive reliability is high; it remains effective for up to 5 years.

The hormone IUD's contraceptive effect is based on the hormone's local effect in the uterus. The mucous plug in the cervix thickens, so that the sperms can no longer penetrate into the uterus. Sperms that still rise are inhibited in their function and mobility.

The hormone IUD is a suitable method for women who want a reliable, low-dose, long-term contraceptive. It is especially well suited for women who have – at least for the foreseeable future – completed their family planning. The hormone IUD is also suitable after the birth of a child. It can already be used while the mother is breast-feeding.

The hormone IUD has the positive side-effect that menstruation is usually shorter, weaker and less painful.

Advice for patients
Every body reacts differently to medicines. Therefore it is impossible to tell which medicine works best for you. Please consult your physician.