1. What teaching is appropriate in each area related to oral contraceptive use?

a. Backup contraception

You can use emergency contraception if you forget to take your birth control pill, if a condom breaks
during sex, or if you have unprotected sex for other reasons (including victims of sexual assault). An IUD
can be inserted for use as emergency contraception and is much more effective at preventing a
pregnancy than pills. It is the best choice for emergency contraception, and you can continue to use it as
your ongoing method of birth control. The other options are morning after pills, which may be hormonal
or non-hormonal.

b. Time of day

Take your pill with some daily routine activity, such as with breakfast or brushing your teeth every
morning, or at bedtime, to make it easier to remember to take it every day. The pill works best if taken
at about the same time every day. This is especially important to prevent irregular bleeding.

c. Missed dose

If a woman misses 1 pill, she should take her missed pill as soon as she remembers followed by her
regularly scheduled pill. Women who have missed 2 or more consecutive pills should be advised to use a
backup method of contraception and could require an emergency contraceptive method dependent
upon cycle timing (especially during the first week of active pills).  If she is in the third week of active
pills, she should continue the active pill through the placebo week.

e. Use during lactation

In choosing a method of contraception, it is important that it not interfere with lactation or have
negative effects on the infant. Non-hormonal methods of contraception, such as barrier methods or the
copper intrauterine device (IUD), are the preferred choice for nursing mothers, because hormones in
some contraceptive methods may interfere with lactation, and the transfer of hormones into milk poses
a theoretical risk to the infant. There are numerous non-hormonal methods available that have no effect
on production of milk or on infant growth and development. Methods like the diaphragm, condoms,
spermicidal foams and jellies, and copper IUDs provide reversible contraception, while vasectomy and
tubal ligation are permanent methods.

f. Other medications

It can be difficult to decide which birth control method is best because of the wide variety of options
available. The best method is one that you will use consistently, is acceptable to you and your partner,
and does not cause bothersome side effects. Other factors to consider include:

●How effective is the method?

●Is it convenient? Do I have to remember to use it? If so, will I remember to use it?
●Do I have to use/take it every day?
●Is this method reversible? Can I get pregnant immediately after stopping it?
●Will this method cause me to bleed more or less? Will the bleeding I have while using the method be
predictable or not predictable?
●Are there side effects or potential complications?
●Is this method affordable?
●Does this method protect against sexually transmitted diseases?

You should also consider how easy it is to get your birth control. For some forms, you need to see a
doctor for a prescription. But there may be other options; for example, in some areas, you can get birth
control pills online through services.

No method of birth control is perfect. You must balance the advantages and disadvantages of each
method and then choose the method that you will be able to use consistently and correctly.

3. Why should a man have his semen analyzed after vasectomy?

Men who have had a vasectomy undergo semen analysis to make sure no sperm are in their semen.