Quickstart contraception

Question 1

Quickstart contraception:

Why quickstart?

Answer 1

• Long or irregular cycles
• need immediate contraception
• accessibility at another time to services will be unlikely

Question 2

Quickstart contraception:

How to quickstart?

Answer 2

1) Exclude pregnancy
- compliant with reliable form of contraception
- negative pregnancy test AND no sex in 3 weeks
- no sex since start of NORMAL period
- ≤5 days from NORMAL period
- ≤5 days post termination or miscarriage
- ≤21 days post partum

2) Start any method

IF pregnancy cannot be excluded the following methods can be initiated as they are reversible and non teratogenic

• COCP
• Vaginal ring
• POP
• implanon
• depot provera

3) Post initiation care
- condoms/abstain for 7 days (3 if POP)
- emergency contraception still required if unprotected sex
- pregnancy test in 4 weeks regardless of the presence of bleeding or not