Summary

In this study session, you have learned that:

• Long-acting hormonal contraceptives include injectable contraceptives and contraceptive implants, in which hormones are released slowly to be absorbed into the bloodstream so that the body maintains a constant hormonal level sufficient to provide contraception safely and effectively.
• Injectable contraceptives are administered by a deep intramuscular injection into the muscle of the upper arm or buttock, to be effective immediately.
• DMPA (Depo-Provera) is an artificial progestin preparation (150 mg only) which resembles the female hormone progesterone and gives three month’s protection after injection.
• Noristerat (NET-EN) is an artificial progesterone preparation (200 mg only) which gives two months’ protection after injection.
• Mesigyna is a combined injectable contraceptive, which is a combination of short-acting oestrogen and long-acting progesterone. It gives one month’s protection.
• Contraceptive implants consist of flexible tubes or rods which are inserted under the skin of a women’s upper arm by a trained professional. They contain long-acting progestin, which is similar to the natural hormone progesterone, and their effects are reversible.
• The Norplant implant gives five to seven years of protection. It has been phased out from use and replaced by Jadelle.
• Jadelle is a contraceptive implant consisting of two rods, which give five years’ effective protection.
• Implanon is a single-rod contraceptive implant that gives three years’ protection.
• When you are carrying out any invasive procedure, you must be careful to prevent the spread of infection by using proper infection prevention procedures.