Contraception and family planning

A woman's reproductive cycle lasts 28 days and repeats cyclically. The onset of menstruation (which usually lasts 5 days) was determined as the first day of the cycle.

• Changes during the period of the cycle depend on hormonal changes. These hormones can be affected by hormonal contraception (progesterone and estrogen).
• Conception can also be prevented by preventing the male´s sperm from penetrating the female´s eggs - this is called mechanical or barrier methods. This includes a condom, diaphragms and cervical caps and an intrauterine device (IUD).
• Determining fertile and infertile days is used as natural method.

Barrier (mechanical) contraception methods prevent sperm from "meeting" a mature egg. These include:

• A condom (male and female condom) is a soft cover made of latex rubber, it is put on the male genital organ (there are also female condoms). Their advantage is also protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
• Diaphragms and cervical caps - a rubber or plastic cap that is placed on the cervix.
• A vaginal sponge that is inserted into the vagina and impregnated with a spermicidal substance - the sperm are sucked into it and remain in the sponge.
• An intrauterine device (IUD - intrauterine device) is a device that is inserted into the uterine cavity and has, in addition to a mechanical barrier, also contraceptive components. White blood cells (macrophages) are deposited on its surface and naturally remove sperm. There are non-hormonal-IUDs made of copper or hormones-containing-IUDs.

The female reproductive cycle is characterized by periodic changes in hormones. Using hormonal contraceptives prevents the maturation of the female egg and the cervical mucus thickens (sperms cannot penetrate the uterus). Hormones are applied in several forms:

• Oral Contraceptives (the pill) - hormonal contraception in the form of pills, which is taken once a day.
• Contraceptive patch - a patch on the skin that releases female hormones for 7 days, during one cycle it is applied to 3 patches to work for three weeks, menstruation occurs on the 4th week.
• Depot gestagen - hormone that is implanted under the skin - like a silicone rod (inserted from a small incision in the arm under local anesthesia and is effective for 3 years, it can be removed at any time), or injected and released gradually (over about 10 months) so that it produces a sustained level of hormone.
• Hormonal IUD (intreuterine device) - combines mechanical and hormonal contraception.
• Vaginal ring - inserted for three weeks through the vagina and releases hormones.

Natural methods are a suitable solution for permanent married couples, taking advantage of the fact that there are fertile and infertile days in the woman´s regular reproductive cycle. Thus, sexual intercourse is planned only during the infertile days.

Infertile days can be determined by several ways:

• Counting fertile days - a woman with a regular menstrual cycle ovulates (releases a mature egg) on the 14th day after the start of her period. Fertilization is therefore possible between about 5 days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. Sexual intercourse after ovulation has little chance of pregnancy.
• Basal temperature measurement - body temperature changes regularly during the cycle and rises slightly after ovulation. The temperature is measured every morning after waking up, and the highest morning temperature is usually during ovulation.
• Breastfeeding - during breastfeeding, the hormone prolactin is released, which naturally stops the maturation of eggs. This method tends to be effective for the first 6 months.

Contraception is never 100% reliable, but hormonal and barrier contraceptions are close to 99%.

The disadvantage of natural contraception with the determination of fertile and infertile days, as well as the date of ovulation, is possible hormonal changes in a woman (for example, during physical and mental stress), which can lead to an irregular cycle and inaccurate determination of fertility. 

You should consult your gynecologist about the most suitable method of family planning.

If the couple is not going to conceive another child, sterilization is used as a permanent solution to prevent parenthood.

• In a woman, it is the ligation of the fallopian tubes.
• In men, vasectomy.