The Ultimate Birth Control & Pregnancy Thread

[brfatal]

Why isn't the implant still available for new perscriptions?

And it sucks being one of those guys who CAN'T use a condom. Imagine permanently having a numbing condom on and then when you try to have sex with a condom it's like throwing another 10 condoms over it. You just can't keep it hard.

[Loose Cannon]

Norplant (levonorgestrel) is no longer available for two reasons:

1. It was so long term in its effects it had a very small profit margin for Wyeth (the company selling it). The company also found itself on the end of a few lawsuits in cases where the implants had broken during the removal process. In spite of the fact that this was almost certainly the fault of cack-handed physicians doing the removal, Wyeth found themselves footing the bill.

2. A very small percentage (well under 1%) of women claimed serious side effects from using Norplant, including permanently reduced/non-existent ovulation, endless periods, no periods at all, hair loss, mood swings, skin problems and a whole lot of other unpleasantness. Wyeth took the tactical decision to withdraw Norplant from new prescriptions to a) refute the allegations against Norplant and restore confidence with a view to reinstating it; or b) to research alternatives ("Norplant 2" or Jadelle, currently approved by the FDA but not marketed by Wyeth due to low public confidence in the implant system generally).

[Loose Cannon]

Originally Posted by SoSmooth

I came in my girlfriend the other night, the afternoon after she took the morning after pill. What are teh chances of the pill working? I made a mistake and i hope this thing works.

The effectiveness of the morning after pill is quoted as an 80% reduction in the likelihood of pregnancy arising from a single act of unprotected sex. You took a risk, but the odds are on your side. I would NOT recommend making a habit of this...

[Loose Cannon]

OK, I've just added some extra info and links about Emergency Contraception. Enjoy

[aaron31981]

I will offer some others:

Oral contraceptives range greatly in dosage and price. While the efficacy is similar, not everyone is made for every woman. Cheapest I have seen is Nortrel 1/35 (~$20-25) most expensive would be Ortho products, typically in the $40's. Seasonale is specifically designed to be dispensed in 4-cycle packaging, but is pretty expensive to have to pay for it all up front (91 days ~ $115).

Nuva ring is similar to the other brand names. A spring-diaphragm is the same as well. Depo-Provera is mid $50's

Plan B is roughly $25, and RU486 is not yet legal in the U.S.

The male oral contraceptive is still in clinical trials and has achieved a 100% efficacy thus far.

Honestly, as a guy my favorite is Ortho-Evra. Not only is it effective, but the guy actually sees if the woman is using it. Not this "hope she isn't trying to have a keep a n*gga baby." For those that the patch falls off, a replacement is available and comes with a $12 mail in rebate. Granted, the pharmacy may charge more than that and it is a hasle to go there, but the option is available.

I would have more/better info but I don't think we do contraceptves until mid 2nd year

[Arjuna]

Originally Posted by aaron31981

I will offer some others:

Oral contraceptives range greatly in dosage and price. While the efficacy is similar, not everyone is made for every woman. Cheapest I have seen is Nortrel 1/35 (~$20-25) most expensive would be Ortho products, typically in the $40's. Seasonale is specifically designed to be dispensed in 4-cycle packaging, but is pretty expensive to have to pay for it all up front (91 days ~ $115).

Nuva ring is similar to the other brand names. A spring-diaphragm is the same as well. Depo-Provera is mid $50's

Plan B is roughly $25, and RU486 is not yet legal in the U.S.

The male oral contraceptive is still in clinical trials and has achieved a 100% efficacy thus far.

Honestly, as a guy my favorite is Ortho-Evra. Not only is it effective, but the guy actually sees if the woman is using it. Not this "hope she isn't trying to have a keep a n*gga baby." For those that the patch falls off, a replacement is available and comes with a $12 mail in rebate. Granted, the pharmacy may charge more than that and it is a hasle to go there, but the option is available.

I would have more/better info but I don't think we do contraceptves until mid 2nd year

RU486 was approved by the FDA in 2000. No idea on cost.

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/600_ru486.html

[Loose Cannon]

Arjuna, you've confused me I thought Mifepristone (RU 486) was only approved for early abortion of a confirmed pregnancy, in which case it is effective up to 9 weeks after conception with a 90%+ success rate. In the UK it only gets used after the window for the morning after pill has shut. Is it now being used in the shorter term?

[Arjuna]

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon

Arjuna, you've confused me I thought Mifepristone (RU 486) was only approved for early abortion of a confirmed pregnancy, in which case it is effective up to 9 weeks after conception with a 90%+ success rate. In the UK it only gets used after the window for the morning after pill has shut. Is it now being used in the shorter term?

Ah, I see, I read the post too fast. I thought it was saying that RU486 was not legal at all, not in reference to a form of ECP.

Yeah, in that case, aaron is correct: RU486 is not approved for emergency contraception, only medical abortion.

[Loose Cannon]

OK, the confusion seems to have arisen because Mifepristone is under study for other indications, but not yet approved for market use. Have a look at this - studies have seen it used in low doses for daily contraception, also emergency contraception and even labour induction. It just hasn't been FDA approved for any of these uses, presumably until further data has been collected.

[krayolachildren]

depo-provera (which i am currently using) is not 50 dollar range, i mean depending where you are and who your dispenser is it can be 34-46 dollars, in canada, and thats for 3 months of course.

[Zenja]

In what context are the ARP statistics? If something is 97% effective, does that mean I have a 3% chance of making her pregnant every time we have sex, every year, or during the entire time used? There's a big difference. That 3% compounded 10 times becomes 26%.

[Arjuna]

Originally Posted by Zenja

In what context are the ARP statistics? If something is 97% effective, does that mean I have a 3% chance of making her pregnant every time we have sex, every year, or during the entire time used? There's a big difference. That 3% compounded 10 times becomes 26%.

ARP is for the year.

Typical use of the pill = 5% ARP - so of every 100 couples using the pill only, 5 will become pregnant in the course of the year.

[Loose Cannon]

Originally Posted by Zenja

In what context are the ARP statistics? If something is 97% effective, does that mean I have a 3% chance of making her pregnant every time we have sex, every year, or during the entire time used? There's a big difference. That 3% compounded 10 times becomes 26%.

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon

the average percentage rate of pregnancy (ARP) while using that method - an ARP is defined as the average number of pregnancies among women using nothing but the method in question FOR ONE YEAR. That is, if you have sex for one year on this method, the ARP is the percentage chance of you getting pregnant.

[g]

k too busy arguing starwars vs startrek aint nobody on genmay getting laid

[f00ker's Wife]

argh, I'm on the Nuva Ring, and the stupid thing keeps trying to come out. Anyone else have that problem?