Green Pages Where There Is No Doctor 2011 395
Progestin-only pills cause less nausea and
vomiting than combined pills. Women who have
heart problems, blood clots or strokes should use
progestin-only pills.
Condoms (rubbers, prophylactics, sheaths)
Name:__________________ price:________ for_ ______
Often come in: packages of 3.
There are many different brands of condoms.
Some are lubricated, some come in different colors,
and some have spermicide.
In addition to helping prevent pregnancy,
condoms can also help prevent the spread of
sexually transmitted (venereal) infections, including
HIV. Many people use condoms along with another
form of birth control.
Use and care of condoms is described on
p. 290.
Diaphragm
Name:__________________ price:__________________
The diaphragm is most effective when used
with a spermicide cream or jelly. Put some inside
the diaphragm, and also spread some on the rim
before putting it in the vagina (see p. 290).
Name of jelly or cream:__________________________
price:_ ________________________________________
Contraceptive Foam (Well-known brands:
Emko, Lempko, Delfen)
Name:__________________ price:__________________
For discussion of the use of foam, see page 290.
Contraceptive suppositories
(Common brand: Neo Sampoon)
Name:__________________ price:__________________
This is a tablet containing spermicide that a
woman puts deep in her vagina near her cervix.
The suppository should be put in 15 minutes before
having sex. (Follow instructions on the package.)
It is a fairly effective method of birth control,
especially if the couple also uses a condom.
Intrauterine device (IUD)
Name:__________________ price:__________________
fee for putting it in:______________________________
An IUD must be inserted and removed by a
trained health worker. The most common side
effect is heavier, longer and more painful monthly
bleeding, but this usually stops after the first 3
months. Occasionally an IUD will slip out of place.
If this happens, it will not be effective in preventing
pregnancy, so it is important for a woman with
an IUD to learn to check it to make sure it is still
in place. Most IUDs have 2 thread-like strings
attached which hang down into the vagina. The
woman should check the strings after each monthly
bleeding to make sure the IUD is in place. To check
the strings, she should wash her hands well and
then reach as far as she can into the vagina with
two fingers and feel for the IUD strings. Do not pull
on the strings. If she cannot feel the strings, or if
she can feel the hard part of the IUD, she needs to
use a condom or another method of family planning
until she can have the IUD checked by a trained
health worker. For information on IUDs, see
page 290.
Pelvic inflammatory disease is the most serious
problem that can result from having an IUD. Most
infections happen in the first 3 months, usually
because the woman already had an infection when
the IUD was put in. Or it may happen because the
health worker did not put in the IUD under clean
conditions. If a woman with an IUD has any signs
of infection she should see a trained health worker
right away. See page 243.
Injectable contraceptives
(Common brands: Depo-Provera (DMPA), Noristerat
(NET-EN), Lunelle, Cyclofem)
Name:__________________ price:__________________
Injectable contraceptives work by preventing
the woman’s ovaries from releasing an egg. The
hormones also make the mucus at the opening of
the womb very thick, which helps stop the sperm
from getting inside the womb.
Progestin-only injections, such as Depo-Provera
and Noristerat, contain only the hormone progestin.
These are especially good for women who should
not use estrogen, but should not be used by
women who have any of the health problems
described on page 288. Progestin-only injections