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. For the moment it is not available in Ethiopia.
• 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. It has been introduced for use in Ethiopia, and has been approved by the Ministry of Health to be provided by Health Extension Practitioners at health post level after appropriate training has been given.
• When you are carrying out any invasive procedure, you must be careful to prevent the spread of infection by using proper infection prevention procedures.