Body Basal Temperature (BBT)


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Description
This phenomenon is lower during the first 2 weeks of menstrual cycle, before ovulation. It occurs immediately after ovulation, temperature begins to rise, continuing upward until it is time for the next menses. The rise in the temperature indicates that progesterone (female hormone) has been released to the system. Just before the day of ovulation, a woman's BBT falls about one half degree. At the time of ovulation, the woman's BBT rises a full degree because of progesterone influences.
How to use BBT Method?
To use the BBT method of contraception, a woman must take her temperature every morning before getting out of bed and beginning her morning activity. By recording this daily temperature, she can see a slight dip and then an increase in body temperature. The increase in body temperature indicates ovulation. With the temperature increases, intercourse is avoided for the next 3 days, which is the life of a discharged ovum (female egg cell). Because sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for 4 days, BBT method of contraception is typically combined with the calendar method so that the couple can abstain from intercourse for a few days before ovulation as well.
Factors that can affect BBT Method
BBT Method can be affected by many variables, which may lead to mistaken interpretations of a fertile day as safe day and vice versa. Forgetting to take the temperature or taking after arising may lead to a rise in temperature. Illness also may cause temperature to rise. Changes in daily routine or activities also could affect the temperature.
Advantages
It is relatively inexpensive. The woman only exposed in the cost of BBT Thermometer, which is calibrated in tenths of a degree.
- No drugs are needed.
- It may be acceptable to members of religious groups that oppose birth control.
- It encourages couples to learn more about how female body functions.
- It encourages communication between partners.
- It can also be used to plan a pregnancy.
Disadvantages
- It requires meticulous record keeping and an ability and willingness to monitor the woman's body changes.
- It restricts sexual spontaneity during the woman's fertile period.
- It requires extended periods of abstinence from intercourse.
- It is reliable only for woman with regular menstrual cycles.
- It may be unreliable during periods of illness, infection, or stress.
- It is contraindicated to woman who has irregular menses.
Implications
Advise them that, recording the BBT does not predict the exact day of ovulation. It just indicates that ovulation has occurred, allowing the woman to monitor her ovulatory pattern and giving her time frame for planning. Advise the woman to record the days of menstrual flow on a temperature graph. Have her start with the first day of her menses (day 1) and then take her temperature each day after her menses ends. Tell the woman to use a thermometer that measures tenths of a degree. Instruct the woman to take her temperature as soon as she wakes up - before she gets out of the bed or does anything else. Tell the woman to do this at the same time each morning. Instruct the woman to place a dot on the graph's line that matches the temperature reading (Tell her not to be surprised if her waking temperature before ovulation is 96 to 97 F [35.6 to 36.1C]). If she forgets to take her temperature one day, instruct her to leave that day blank on the graph and not to connect the dots. Instruct her to make notes on the graph if she misses taking her temperature, feels sick, can't sleep, or wakes up at a different time. Advise her also that if she is taking any medicine - even aspirin - to note this on the graph, because it may affect her temperature. Remind her also to mark the dates when she had sexual relations.

Combined Contraceptive Pill - Effective at Preventing Pregnancy and Treating Acne


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Expert Author Adelisa M Neumark
Dianette, a commonly prescribed contraceptive pill, has proved to be nearly 100% helpful in preventing a woman from conceiving. This medication is also known for treating outbreak of acne and excessive hair growth, also known as hirsutism, in women. It contains synthetic versions of oestrogen and progestogen, which work together in three ways to prevent conception. The artificial oestrogen is ethinylestradiol (35 micrograms), while artificial progestogen is cyproterone acetate (2 mg). Dianette pill tricks your body to believe that you are already ovulated due to which the release of egg from ovaries is prevented. This is followed by altering the womb lining so that an egg, which gets fertilised accidently, is unable to fix itself and grow there.
It also cause thickening of the cervical mucous so that sperm fails to enter the womb and fertilise an egg. This oral contraceptive treatment is taken for 21 days of your menstrual cycle, followed by a pill-free period of seven days. You will get complete protection from conception even during these seven days. However, you can experience a withdrawal bleed, which is similar to your normal period. It is a natural way of body to get rid of the additional synthetic hormones present in the contraceptive pill.
Dianette can treat acne and hirsutism by inhibiting androgens hormone from working on your brain receptor. The presence of excess androgens causes hormonal changes, leading to an increase in the production of sebum. As a result, the sebaceous glands expand and form acne or pimples. When this hormone is effectively blocked by Dianette, the outbreak of acne and growth of unwanted hair stops eventually. This contraceptive also plays an important role in regulating menstrual cycles, making them lighter and less painful.
Dianette can cause certain side effects, which are expected to be moderate and short-term as your body gets quickly used to the synthetic hormones. Women, regularly using this medication, have reported to experience nausea, headaches, fluid retention, weight changes, breast tenderness, vaginal thrush, changes in menstrual bleeding, breakthrough bleeding, high blood pressure, menstrual spotting and decreased sex drive. If any of these side effects endure for an unusual long time, you should notify a doctor and seek alternative contraceptive treatment.
Dianette is considered suitable for any woman who is above 18 years of age and is not a heavy smoker.
Some rare side effects of this medication are heart diseases, decreased liver function, irregular brown patches on the skin, blood clots, gallstones and pulmonary embolism. This medication is not prescribed for birth control purpose if the woman is already pregnant, breastfeeding, suffering from high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, serious migraine, heart, kidney or liver problems. It is always recommended to consult a doctor and go through the contraceptive guidelines before using any oral contraceptive. The online diagnosis at a licensed clinic requires you to complete a confidential consultation with a licensed doctor before issuing the prescription. After the evaluation of your consultation, the medication is dispatched from the pharmacy almost immediately.
Written by Adelisa Neumark, webmaster and content writer at Healthexpress.eu, a leading online clinic in Ireland.Dianette combined contraceptive pill has helped millions of women prevent pregnancy. It can also help in improving your skin by treating frequent outbreak of acne.

The Use of Contraceptive Pills in Teen Girls


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Expert Author Adelisa M Neumark
An incident involving unprotected sexual activity has the potential to forever change the lives of individuals. The statistics approximate that more and more teenagers frequently engage in casual sex. Although of late there has been awareness amongst teen girls to use effective contraceptive measures in order to avoid the risk of pregnancy. Young adults should understand that every act of unsafe sex can not only lead to pregnancy but can also lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For a free and confidential online consultation, you can visit a licensed online clinic. There are many misconceptions regarding pregnancy amongst teen girls. It is important to note that you can still become pregnant when:
  • You indulge in sex during periods
  • You do not reach an orgasm
  • You are engaged in sex for the first time
  • You experience irregular periods
  • You forget to take the contraceptive pill just for one day
Condom use is a popular way to prevent pregnancy and STIs, but any incident involving a condom to tear or slip can defeat the purpose of preventing accidental pregnancy. Young women can, in additional to condoms, take prescription birth control pills, which are nearly 100% effective in preventing a woman to fall pregnant. You can obtain a contraceptive pill from a medical professional or nearby family planning clinic, but make sure that you are above 18 years of age and a doctor has prescribed the treatment to you. Yasmin contraceptive pill is considered to be extremely popular in most parts of the world, owing to the general belief that is has the unique ability of keeping your weight in control. This is considered a benefit for many women, as generally some other contraceptive pills are known to cause unexpected weight gain.
It contains a synthetic oestrogen called ethinylestradiol and a synthetic progestogen called drospirenone. The synthetic oestrogen stops the ovaries from releasing an egg by tricking the body into thinking you have already ovulated. The synthetic progestogen causes the thickening of the cervical mucus and altering of the uterine lining. Ideally, you should start taking Yasmin on the first day of your period for getting an immediate protection against pregnancy. However, you can also start taking it until the fifth day of your period after using an additional barrier contraceptive for the next seven days.
Mini-pills, also known as progestogen-only pills, are a perfect substitute for women who cannot use pills which contain oestrogen. Such women are usually over 35 years of age, heavy smokers or are breastfeeding. This is because oestrogen can cause a few unpleasant side effects such as headaches and nausea. Cerazette mini-pill is the only pill which can be taken up to 12 hours late, making it extremely flexible. However, this pill is not considered safe for women who suffer from the following medical conditions: abnormal vaginal bleeding, breast cancer, liver diseases, migraines or a hereditary blood disorder. Certain medications can interfere in the working of Cerazette birth control such as bosentan aprepitant and nevirapine. Therefore before you are able to order Cerazette pill via an online registered health clinic, you should speak to a qualified doctor.
Written by Adelisa Neumark, webmaster and content writer at Healthexpress.eu, a leading online clinic in Ireland. Many young girls are aware of the importance of prescription contraceptive pills in order to prevent the risk of an unwanted pregnancy. Read this article for exploring the use of contraceptive protection amongst teen girls. Yasmin and Cerazette are two popular contraceptive pills available.

Want Spontaneity in Your Sex Life: Try The Vaginal Ring


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To a lay couple in Indian context, contraceptive options speak for condoms, Oral pills or Intra uterine contraceptive device. Other options such as Injectibles are gaining popularity slowly. However in America and Europe a breakthrough contraceptive option has emerged i.e The vaginal ring. It is a form of birth control for women that you can insert internally for three weeks and then remove it to allow a week of menstruation. It is a flexible (non-latex) ring that is discreet, usually undetectable only to the user and allows intercourse to be more spontaneous and relaxed. The vaginal ring also alleviates the worry associated with contraceptives like IUD that the product can ascend up into the uterus as the cervix prevents the ring from getting into the uterus.
How does it work?
For ease of understanding, the vaginal ring works much like regular birth control pills. The mode of action of the vaginal ring is as follows:
  • It releases Estrogen and Progestin, the two hormones naturally produced by your body, into the bloodstream, thereby prevents ovulation (an ovary releasing a monthly egg).
  • The vaginal ring prevents sperm from entering the uterus by thickening the cervical mucus. Hence providing two step protection.
How effective is it?
When used correctly, the ring is found to be more effective than an oral birth contraceptive pill (99% +). Though you would need to check with a health professional as to its proper use and removal.
When do I start using the ring?
If you are using the ring for the first time, insert the ring between day one and five of your menses, even if you have not finished bleeding. Count the first day of your period as day one. You should use a condom during each act of intercourse for the first seven days during the first ring cycle.
When do I remove the ring?
Remove the ring three weeks after insertion, at approximately the same time of the day, if possible. Place it in the foil envelope in which it was originally packaged and throw away. Contraceptive protection continues throughout the ring-free week. Exactly seven days after removing the old ring, insert a new one. It is recommended that you insert and remove it at the same time of day each month.
Who cannot use the ring?
Woman with high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and migraine headaches with aura or neurological symptoms should not use the ring or consult with your doctor for eligibility.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical care immediately.
A - Abdominal pain (severe)
C - Chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing up blood
H - Headache (severe), numbness or weakness in arms or legs
E - Eye problems (vision loss, blurring, flashing lights)
Benefits
The vaginal ring can benefit a patient in various ways:
  • once-a-month birth control (unlike a daily pill)
  • Very discreet and private; no one can see it or know that you are wearing it.
  • Easily reversible - No waiting period. Ovulation returns quickly when use of the ring is discontinued.
  • Like a birth control patch, low dose hormones are continuously and evenly absorbed into the bloodstream, keeping side-effects to a minimum.
  • Thickened cervical mucus helps decrease the risk of pelvic inflammatory infections.
  • Decreased risk for developing ovarian cysts
  • Decreased risk for developing ovarian or endometrial cancer
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea should not interfere with the effectiveness of the ring.
  • Shorter, lighter periods (decreased risk for developing anaemia)
  • Decreased premenstrual symptoms (usually)
Are there any Side-Effects?
Thing to keep in mind is that, it is a form of hormonal contraceptive option and like other forms of birth control methods that contain hormones, there are side-effects to consider when using the vaginal ring. They include:
  • Possible weight gain, nausea, vomiting, and/or breast tenderness
  • Mood swings
  • Spotting between periods
  • Possible increased susceptibility to vaginal infections
  • Headaches
  • Increased menstrual cramping (rare)
More serious side-effects though less common can include:
  • an increased risk for developing blood clots in the legs, heart, lungs, or brain
  • an increased risk for having a stroke or heart attack
  • an increased risk for developing breast cancer
Check with a doctor for the actual percentage of risk. The chance of some serious risks is high if a patient is over 35 and smokes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular complications and is greater when a woman smokes more than 15 cigarettes daily and increases significantly when a she is also over 35 years of age. Women are advised to quit smoking if they use hormonal contraception in any form.
Conclusion:
It's important to discuss the benefits vs the side-effects of the ring with your doctor. Not every patient is a good candidate for the vaginal ring. Together, you and your doctor can determine your best choice for birth control. Hence, make an informed choice to enjoy long term benefits and enjoy marital bliss without worrying about unwanted pregnancy!
Dr Anuradha Kharinar holds M.B.B.S, MRCGP (UK), DFSRH (UK).
She has over 16 years of experience in Women's Health. She has worked in various hospitals and health centres in India and UK. She is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, UK and holds a diploma in Reproductive and Sexual Health from the Faculty of Royal College (UK ).