Side effects of Postpartum Contraception | BIRTH CONTROL

"Side effects of postpartum contraception are not very many. If you take for instance, intrauterine device, you may have a heavy flow for the first few months. After all, it is a foreign body that has been inserted. So it can take a few weeks or a few months for it to settle down. So you may have initially an extra bout of bleeding, but it can be taken care of or you may have intramenstrual spotting between your periods, that also can be taken care of. Or you may have some extra discharge, maybe if there is any infection. But if you have any foul smelling discharge or any discharge, then you have to consult your doctor, then you have to consult your doctor and it may a local infection that can be taken care by pessaries or oral antibiotics, but don’t remove it in haste. the mild infection can be take care of and the intrauterine device can be continued. The benefit is more than the harm. So the side effects are very less and if you want to, in the beginning you start menstruation, if you want a change or you want to remove an IUCD, it is the ideal time will be to remove it when you are in periods so that you can switch over from one method of contraception to another. For instance if you are not very happy with your intrauterine device, then you can remove it within 5 days of your periods. Remove the IUCD and then immediately start on the combined oral contraceptive pills, which is a 21 day pill pack and can be started immediately an after 21 days you will have abnormal bleeding and if you like it, you can continue. So the other side effects is with the injectable and the progesterone only pills you may go for amenorrhea. Amenorrhea means you may bot get your periods or if at all you get, the flow may be less. But please don’t discontinue it because of this one side effects. Injectables there might be a very slight weight gain, maybe upto 2 kgs, but you can keep it in check by regular diet and exercise, but if you feel that it is really helpful, and you are not very happy after 6 months of delivery or after that baby started weaning, then you can change over form the injectable contraceptive to a combined oral contraceptive which is a 21 day pill pack, which will have you regular menstruation if it is taken in the correct way. So the doctor will instruct you how to take it and how to follow this medication. Bin the same way, the progesterone only pills you may not get the periods. As such after delivery when the lady is continuously lactating, without any top up feeds she may not get her periods. So the idea of introducing postpartum contraception is that when the baby changes over from breastfeeding to top up feeds or other feeds then your ovaries suddenly wake up. So when the ovulation happens, you may not be aware of it. So at that time you will conceive. So when you conceive you may not be aware of it till the vomiting sensation and you are in for a shock that if you have not taken adequate precautions that you are pregnant again and you do not know when you have conceived. So that is the main reason why we advocate postpartum contraception because when you are lactating, you will not get your periods and even before you start menstruation, you will suddenly conceive. So that is why we advise all these precaution. So if you are not happy with one form of contraception, then you can switch over to a different form of your choice. So you can even nowadays at 6 months. Nowadays we say even within 3 months of delivery and you are lactating, and you want a contraceptive that will give you a monthly bleeding, then you can go for what is called as low dose combined contraceptive, a low dose pill. That can also be taken. It will not affect your lactation because the components are very low in the combined contraceptive. So if you actually think of side effects, you should not avoid it totally. One or two side effects may be there, but it can be tackled, and you can always change over to a different form of tour choice. So if you are not agreeable with one form then go switch over to another form. So that you are protected for 3 years for 4 years, for 5 years as long as you want the gap between the first child and the second child"