Overview of Contraception

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• 0:03Introduction
• 0:26Combination methods
• 1:10Progesterone-only methods
• 1:52Non-hormonal methods
• 2:15How each type works
• 3:46How barrier methods work
• 4:33Next steps

Full transcript

1. 0:03Introduction

   Hi, I'm Dr. Taz Varkey. Welcome to GynoTalks. Today I want to teach you about the basics of contraception. I want to teach you about the different types and how they're different from one another and how you can pick the best one for you. So to start, I need you to understand that there are three main categories of contraception. The first category are combination estrogen and progesterone methods.

2. 0:26Combination methods

   The second, progesterone-only methods. And the third, non-hormonal methods. We call them barrier methods. So the first category, the combination estrogen and progesterone, what that means is just what it sounds like. There are two different hormones in all of these types. The three main types of combination contraceptive methods, the birth control pill, the NuvaRing, and the patch, they all have estrogen and progesterone, and they all work by tricking your body into thinking you're pregnant and regulating your hormones such that you have the same steady level week to week for the whole month.

3. 0:48

   So this works in such a way that the hormones are affecting your whole body, which can be good, sometimes cause other side effects, but many benefits, and I'll talk about that in future videos.

4. 1:10Progesterone-only methods

   The progesterone-only methods work in another way, which is to thicken the cervical mucus and thin the lining, and in that category of methods we have the shot known as Depo-Provera, the implant, which is a rod that goes in your arm, progesterone IUDs, which are T-shaped devices that are inserted into the uterus, and the progesterone-only pill.

5. 1:30

   Now, technically that's also a birth control pill, but it's a progesterone-only pill, unlike the combination estrogen and progesterone pill in the first category I just spoke of.

6. 1:52Non-hormonal methods

   And lastly, we have non-hormonal birth control methods, such as condoms, diaphragm, something called the FemCap, which is a little cap that's inserted into the vagina and sits over the cervix, the contraceptive sponge, which is a sponge that's also inserted into the vagina and sits over the cervix, and we have the copper IUD.

7. 2:15How each type works

   I'm gonna talk about all of these different ones individually in subsequent videos, but I want you to understand that these three main categories will affect how it works for you and which one you should choose. So the main mechanism of action, as I mentioned in the first category, the combination estrogen and progesterone one, is that it suppresses ovulation.

8. 2:37

   So it keeps you much more even-keeled throughout the month. For many women that can help with things like PMS or acne, and it's also a very effective method, over 99% effective if used properly. The progesterone-only methods, as I mentioned, work by thickening the cervical mucus and keeping the sperm from getting in to the uterus in the first place, by thinning out the uterine lining so that even if the egg and sperm meet and the embryo tries to implant, it has no good cushion to implant in, so you just, the conception doesn't happen.

9. 3:01

   And lastly, these progesterone-only methods can also work by affecting the motility in the fallopian tube.

10. 3:22

    So remember that the egg and the sperm have to meet in the fallopian tube, and for that to happen, the egg has to get carried from that ovary all the way through the tube to wherever the sperm is, and that requires some movement within the fallopian tube, and the progesterone slows that movement down. So those are the three main mechanisms of action for the progesterone-only group.

11. 3:46How barrier methods work

    And this can be a good method because for some patients who didn't do well with estrogen in the combination category. So the last category, the non-hormonal methods, well, most of the time they're barriers, so they keep the egg and the sperm from meeting in the first place, because condoms, for example, don't allow the sperm to get through, or a diaphragm doesn't allow the sperm to get through, and the woman puts a diaphragm in the vagina to keep it from happening.

12. 4:10

    The sponge or the cap that I mentioned, same thing. And lastly, the copper IUD. I'm going to talk about this in a supporting video in more detail, but that works by inhibiting sperm from getting through, but also by being a physical barrier in the uterus itself, so that even if the sperm and the egg do meet, there's nowhere for it to implant.

13. 4:33Next steps

    So that's it. I hope this was helpful as a basic understanding of the different categories, and I'll try to teach you more in subsequent videos. I want to remind you that this isn't a substitute for medical advice. You should definitely go into your own doctor to learn more, because which method we choose will be unique for each patient and her medical problems or medical situation. Thank you for tuning in, and don't forget to subscribe.