Friday, April 24, 2015

Prevent after birth - but secure!

After birth, it often takes several weeks until the desire for tenderness reappear. At first everything should be healed and the lochia dry. Then the desire for companionship again, the question of an appropriate contraceptive must not be neglected. Prepare yourself why time thinking about what contraceptive method is now the right. We give an overview of the most common methods, their advantages and disadvantages, and what is breast-feeding. In order to give the body enough time to recover from the rigors of pregnancy, a new pregnancy earlier than six months after the birth should occur. In addition to a short distance between two pregnancies increases the risk for complications. When a woman after childbirth for the first time has ovulated, is individually different. Although no menstrual bleeding has occurred, you could already be fruitful and become pregnant because ovulation is already taking place about 14 days before the bleeding. So do not start too late in order to provide adequate protection.

Breastfeeding provides secure protection?
No! A common misconception is that women can become pregnant during lactation. If a woman is fully breastfeeding, the hormone prolactin suppress ovulation, although in most cases, but breastfeeding is the sole contraception rather uncertain. Somewhat You are protected only if the birth within the previous six months never be the nursing breaks during the day and at night more than four hours and nothing is fed. But as soon as the distances are slightly longer or meal times is slightly lower, the prolactin levels in the blood may fall as far as that, in spite of breastfeeding ovulation takes place. Leave you alone so not sure if a sibling is not out of the question.

The ideal method of contraception
No birth control is optimal for every woman, because it has the personal attitude, lifestyle and family planning fit. Here some requirements on the contraceptive protection:
It should be as safe and easy to apply, at the same time have few side effects, should not adversely affect the sexual spontaneity, should be affordable and have no lasting effects on fertility.

Before you decide for the method you should you be aware what factors you in contraception most important are:


  • How safe contraception should be?
  • How long is the distance to the next child can handle?
  • If a new pregnancy of the question?
  • I have multiple sexual partners?
  • How regularly is the menstrual cycle?
  • How did I get so far with contraceptive methods cope?
  • How disciplined I may optionally comply times?
  • I have pre-existing conditions, allergies or must take medication regularly?
  • What methods are suitable for smokers?
  • How can I prevent lactation milk production without adversely affecting or compromising the baby?
  • Can you charge the means?
  • How important is the spontaneity in sex?
  • I suppose the prevention rather into their own hands or can I leave my partner?


Your gynecologist is on the question of the correct method the best contact. In addition, you can put yourself also to the health office or call you can log in devices such as Advise Pro Familia. You should also partner in the choice of a suitable means to include, finally goes prevention is always both in!

Natural contraception
Natural methods of contraception you should only consider if you're familiar with the method and when a new pregnancy would pose a fundamental problem. Because by the hormonal changes after birth and during lactation are natural methods of contraception comparatively unreliable.
When using contraception temperature measurement as the menstrual cycle must take place again regularly, which after birth is often not the case, at least in the first few weeks.
In addition, the sleep schedule can not be bothered as the nightly interruptions reduces the significance of the morning temperature.
When the temperature method every morning at the same time measured body temperature in order to thus determine the period of ovulation can. After ovulation, the temperature is increased for three consecutive days, but that means that you know after ovulation that this has occurred.
Also watching the cervical mucus (Billings method) requires experience and a relatively regular cycle. Here, the consistency of the cervical mucus is closely monitored and how it changes during the cycle. However, this method requires a lot of experience, discipline, and familiarity with their own bodies.

For both methods, you should be ready in the fertile time to refrain from sexual intercourse or to prevent further. Contraceptive can only be used when the menstrual cycle was three consecutive regularly Otherwise, the data can not be reliably evaluated.

The Pearl Index
The Pearl Index indicates how safe is a contraceptive. It is calculated from the number of 100 women within one year of unwanted pregnancies, despite correct application. The lower the number the Pearl index, the more secure the particular method of contraception. The data on the safety of a contraceptive may vary, depending on whether they refer only to the manufacturer's instructions or independent studies. In addition, many different criteria are involved (eg, application errors, previous birth, etc.).