Description
With so many contraceptive options currently available, and such a broad scope of issues to address, matching a patient to her best contraceptive method is more challenging today than it has ever been. To address this challenge, The Handbook of Contraception: A Guide for Practical Management is designed to give the modern health care provider up-to-date information on safety, side effects, advantages, and disadvantages of each method, as well as guidance in selecting appropriate users and practical counseling tools. An effort has been made to cover the currently avail-able methods and those that are expected to be available shortly, and to emphasize the growing list of noncontraceptive benefits associated with each method. An extensive reference list allows interested readers to further investigate issues of interest.
The first chapter in The Handbook of Contraception: A Guide for Practical Management is an overview of current contraceptive use in the United States, with a comparison of the effectiveness and cost of the various methods. Chapters 2 through 8 discuss hormonal methods of contraception, including combination oral contraceptives, the contraceptive patch, the contraceptive vaginal ring, progestin-only pills, and the new progestin implant. Chapter 7 on longacting injectable contraceptives and Chapter 8 on intrauterine devices compare the two current options in each category. Chapter 10 on barriers separately covers male condoms and vaginal spermicides, and then compares, as a group, the various cervical barrier methods. Chapter 11 covers behavioral methods of contraception including abstinence, and Chapter 12 discusses emergency contraceptive options. Chapter 13 reviews the research methods of sterilization that are currently under investigation, and the many methods that have been abandoned for various insurmountable reasons, as well as an extensive review and description of current methods of sterilization, including the newly approved hysteroscopic method. Chapters 14 and 15 are designed to guide the reader on factors to consider when selecting the correct contraceptive method for adolescents, perimenopausal women, postpartum mothers, and medically compromised women.
I dedicate this book to my mother, Wendene Wilson Shoupe, who backed me when I needed it the most. When I was living in Boston and applying to medical school, I became fascinated by the menstrual cycle and developed a deep desire to know everything I could about estrogen. But even more, I dreamed of developing the perfect birth control method. Many years later, I am awed by the difficulty of such a task, but I am honored to put together this compilation of how far contraceptive technology has come. Thank you, Mom, for giving me the support, financial help, drive, and love that got me through the tough days in Boston and allowed me to work toward my dreams.
My grateful thanks to Lee Hellmuth, Richard Montz, Rene B. Allen, MD, Marc Kalan, MD, for technical assistance; to Sherry Cochran, Rph, Director of Pharmacy, USC Medical Plaza Pharmacy; Eunju Lee Kwak, RN, Midwife; Blanca Ovalee, Research Coordinator Women and Children’s Hospital Family Planning for access to contraceptive supplies; and to Diane Quan for her excellent coordinating efforts.
Lastly, I support and echo the statements of Felicia Stewart, MD, writing for the authors of the latest edition of Contraceptive Technology, that the commitment and courage of our colleagues is deeply appreciated, and that when dealing with the challenges that we face in reproductive health, working together is the best way to ensure success.