Lunelle birth control shot is a hormonal contraceptive used in preventing pregnancy. It consists of a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone. This is an injective hormonal contraceptive, used once a month. Every woman taking Lunelle needs a prescription to get it and a health care provider who could make a shot.
This form of birth control helps to protect against unexpected pregnancy through several actions. First, it stops ovulation from occurring, therefore no egg is released and pregnancy cannot occur. Second, Lunelle changes uterine mucus, so that it becomes thicker and it becomes harder for sperm to enter the uterus and meet with an egg. Finally, it alters the uterine lining, so that it becomes harder for implantation to occur.
Lunelle birth control shot
Lunelle is also a very private form of birth control, since nobody sees it, and only your health care practitioner is aware of it. It also does not interact with sexual intercourse. Since this form of birth control is reversible, it does not affect future fertility. It is very easy to use unlike some other contraceptives.
Lunelle birth control shot has to be given every 28 – 30 days. The amount of time between injections cannot be longer than 33 days, since it will not be effective. Usually, the shot is given during the first 5 days of a woman’s menstrual cycle . It can also be given within the first 5 days after first trimester abortion.
Administration of this method of birth control is a bit different in women after pregnancy. A woman can receive a Lunelle birth control shot after 4 weeks following delivery if she is not nursing a baby. She can receive this contraceptive after a minimum of 6 weeks following delivery if she is breastfeeding.
Since Lunelle has to be given every month, you can arrange a date for the next one the day you have your shot. This way you will not forget when the next injection needs to be given. Make sure you do not exceed 33 days between each shot. If you cannot receive the next shot within a month, you need to use additional contraceptives, since Lunelle may not be effective in preventing pregnancy.
Although this form of contraception is very convenient, effective and easy to use, not every woman can take it. Women older than 35 years of age and smokers, also those, who had previous heart attack or stroke, liver disease, cancer and other conditions.
It is important not to take Lunelle for women who have a history of blood clot formation, unexplained vaginal bleeding, or are pregnant. A combination of these medical conditions and this hormonal form of birth control may lead to serious health problems. Therefore, only a doctor or your health care provider can decide if you are a good candidate for having Lunelle birth control shot.
Lunelle birth control shot advantages
Lunelle birth control shot has a lot of advantages. First of all, this form of contraception has a very high efficiency in protection against unexpected pregnancy. Its efficacy is up to 99% in birth control . Since, Lunelle shot id given only once a month but it is effective against pregnancy throughout a month, it is more comfortable that the pill. It has to be injected only once monthly, and a woman does not have to bother remembering to take every day, or use additional for of contraception in case she forgets.
Lunelle birth control shot disadvantages and side effects
As with any forms of birth control, this contraceptive has not only advantages but also disadvantages. Women have to remember that this hormonal mean of contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases , including HIV. Therefore condoms have to be used during every sexual intercourse in order to protect oneself from sexually transmitted diseases. This drug has quite a few side effects, and its long-term risks are not yet known. Another disadvantage is that Lunelle is a prescription contraceptive, and a woman needs to go to her health care provider every month to have a shot.
The most common and expected side effects of the use of this contraceptive are irregular bleeding and weight gain. Bleeding can be from very minimal, as spotting, to very intense, due to which a woman has to be admitted to the hospital. Normally, every woman should expect a weight gain of 4 pounds due to fluid retention every year while using Lunelle. However, some women can gain from 10 to 20 pounds every year.
Other known side effects include nausea, vomiting, headache, decreased libido, mood swings, dizziness, and other. Some women experience very hard side effects, others feel quite well taking Lunelle birth control shot.
Another disadvantage of this form of birth control is that some drugs reduce efficiency of Lunelle . These drugs are mainly antibiotics, barbiturates, herbal medicines and anti-seizure drugs. You have to inform your doctor about any medications that you are taking with this form of birth control. If these are drugs that interact with efficiency of this contraceptive, you will need to take additional form of birth control.
Most women, who want to become pregnant after taking Lunelle birth control shot, are usually able to conceive a baby immediately after they stop taking this contraceptive. However, some women may need to wait for a month or three until their periods get back to normal and they can become pregnant. There are no known effects on a baby if a mother has been taking Lunelle before getting pregnant.
This form of contraception is available throughout USA. It is a safe method of birth control . If you are considering hormonal contraception, Lunelle birth control shot might be a perfect option for you due to many advantages. Consult your doctor about other contraception options before choosing, which contraceptive is best for you.
