Tag Archives: Ortho Evra

Let’s Talk Contraception: Contraceptive Patches

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Is there a topical birth control available, you ask? No contraceptive cream or ointment has been developed yet, but yes, there is a patch that can be applied to your skin that is almost 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.

Patches are easy to use, discreet, and provide excellent birth control.

It’s called a transdermal patch and there is only one available by prescription in the United States. The Ortho Evra patch (or the generic version, called Xulane) is a small, sticky plastic patch that you apply to your skin: one patch each week for three weeks and then no patch for one week before you start the cycle again. While you wear a patch, it releases both a progesterone hormone, norelgestromin, and an estrogen hormone, ethinyl estradiol. This hormone combination is absorbed through your skin and enters your bloodstream to prevent pregnancy, much like oral birth control pills. It is discreet and can be worn comfortably and confidently during bathing, showering, swimming, and exercising without fear of its falling off. As a matter of fact, the patch has been rigorously tested in many situations, and these studies have shown that when applied properly, the patch loosens or falls off less than 2 percent of the time.

Contraceptive patches come in boxes of three for each month. To use a patch, you open a packet and apply one patch to clean, dry, intact (not irritated or injured) skin. It is recommended to apply it to areas on the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso but not breasts, or outer part of upper arm. It should not be applied to areas where it could be rubbed off, such as under a bra strap. Most users apply the patch the first day of their period or the Sunday after the start of their period. When you initially start using the patch, you will need to use a back-up contraceptive method such as a condom for the first seven days. If you are switching to the patch from birth control pills or the vaginal ring, you apply your first patch on the day you would usually start your next pill pack of pills or insert your next vaginal ring. In that case you do not need to use a back-up method of birth control. Continue reading →

Let’s Talk Contraception: Birth Control and Travel — How to Stay on Schedule

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beachIt’s summer and time for a much-needed vacation. But will crossing time zones require you to recalculate when you need to take your daily birth control pill? With a little pre-planning, you can enjoy a trip far away and still keep on schedule with your contraception.

If you use birth control pills, it’s important to take them on a regular schedule, usually one pill every 24 hours. But what do you do if your travel schedule has you in another time zone where your 9 p.m. dose is now due at 3 a.m.? You do have a few options.

Planning ahead can keep you on schedule with birth control and reduce stress while on vacation. Bon voyage!

One idea is to use a time zone calculator to keep taking your pill every 24 hours regardless of the local time. You may need to take it at 3 a.m. while on your trip, but when you return home, you will still be on your regular schedule of 9 p.m. A good way to keep on schedule this way is to have a clock or watch with you set to stay on your time zone at home so you are able to keep track of the correct time to take your pill. An alarm at the right time can be extremely helpful if you do have to take it in the middle of the night. Continue reading →