Contraception

 

Contraception refers to several methods to prevent pregnancy. They mainly fall into 2 categories:

1. Hormonal

2. Non-Hormonal

 

Hormonal methods that you need to know:

1. Pill → Inhibit FHS production → no egg maturation

2. Patch → Slow release of progesterone → inhibits maturation and release of eggs

3. Injection → Slow release of progesterone → inhibits maturation and release of eggs

4. Implant → Slow release of progesterone → inhibits maturation and release of eggs

 

Non-Hormonal methods that you need to know:

1. Condom/diaphragm → physical barrier  

2. IUD → prevents implantation or releases hormone  

3. Spermicide → kills sperm  

4. Sterilisation (surgery)  

5. Abstinence (not having sex)

 

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Treating Infertility (HT Only)

 

Infertility is when someone cannot become pregnant. You need to know the following treatments:

 

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There are some drawbacks with infertility treatments:

1. Emotional/physical stress  

2. Low success rate  

3. Multiple births risk (particularly with IVF)

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Negative Feedback (HT Only)

 

Negative feedback is when the body reverses change to restore normal level. Negative feedback is a core mechanism of homeostasis. 

 

You need to know about these 2 hormones:

 

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Thyroxine is managed by a negative feedback mechanism:

 

Negative feedback diagrams: High thyroxine → pituitary stops TSH → thyroxine ↓