198 chapter 9: Family planning
Injectable contraceptives
With this method, a health worker gives a woman a hormone
injection to keep her from getting pregnant. One injection lasts
1 to 3 months. Most injections contain only progestin.
Depo Provera and Noristerat are the most common brands. These
injections are safe to use while breastfeeding, and are safe for
other women who should not use estrogen (see page 196).
Injections are very effective. Very few women who use this
method become pregnant. Another advantage to this method is that you do not
have to do anything before having sex. And no one except your health worker needs
to know you are using a family planning method. To use this method, you will need
to see a health worker every 1 to 3 months to get another injection.
After having your first injection, you may have irregular bleeding or heavy spotting
during the first few months. Then you may have no monthly bleeding at all. This is
not dangerous. When you stop getting injections, it may take longer than usual (as
much as a year or more) for you to get pregnant. For this reason, injections are best
only if you are sure you do not want to get pregnant in the next year or more.
Women with epilepsy may have fewer seizures when they use the family
planning injection. Also, if you use the injection for more than 6 months, try to eat
more foods that contain calcium (see page 86) to keep your bones strong. Using
injectable contraceptives for a long time may cause your bones to become weaker.
Implants
With this method, a trained health worker puts small, soft tubes of progestin under
the skin of a woman’s arm. The implant then prevents pregnancy for 3 to 5 years,
depending on the type of implant. The implants must be removed after those 3 to 5
years are over and you will need a new implant or another family planning method
right away if you do not want to get pregnant. If you want to get pregnant before
that time, the implant must be removed by a health worker.
Implants
Implants are put
under the skin…
…and can be removed
by a trained health worker.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007