Advantages and disadvantages of the patch Evra

Patch Evra - effective innovative contraceptive, which appeared at the beginning of this century. Evra is an adhesive strip of pink patch 5x5 cm, which is glued to the skin, then the patch produces two hormones that prevent pregnancy.

Thus, Evra may be considered the "surface" version of the pill, and so it has all the long-term side effects of birth control pills. Accurate information about the possible danger of thrombosis is not yet obtained, but over time this issue will become clear.

If you are in a situation that can cause blood clots (eg if you have had a long flight or a surgery or broken leg), the best time to stop using the Evra. In this case, you should immediately contact a doctor.

How to use Evra

Evra - self-adhesive patch to be glued to a clean dry surface of the skin without hair (but not on the chest!).

Validity of plaster - a week, every seven days so it needs to be changed. After three weeks of wearing the patch Evra needs to be done a week break allowed for menstruation.

Benefits

Evra patch has three major advantages:

• You do not need to keep in mind that you need to take birth control pills! Instead, each day taking oral contraceptives, once a week is enough to change the patch! However, some women even manage to forget about it.
• Hormones penetrate the skin - not through the digestive system, which sometimes causes nausea Nausea - there may be problems with the nervous system   (see below).
• Indigestion - like food poisoning or stomach cramps - often interfere with the normal absorption of birth control pills; it will never happen while using Evra.

disadvantages

Evra patch has three major drawbacks:

• The patch may come off, and you do not even notice. This unpleasant situation gets about 4% of all women who enjoy Evra.
• The patch may cause an allergic reaction Allergic reactions: how to understand why you tickle in the throat   in some women. Skin irritation at the time of bonding occurs in approximately 2% of women who are forced to abandon Evra.
• The patch does not affect the flow of blood (and eases menstrual cramps), as do some birth control pills.

Please note that Evra - as a contraceptive - interacts badly with certain medications; so if you are taking medication, consult your doctor before using Evra.

Side effects

Naturally, any drug has side-effects. The most common side effects of Evra:

• discomfort in the chest
• spotting Spotting - it is important to rule out pathology   from the vagina
• headache
• catarrhal symptoms
• nausea
• migraine

In general, these side effects disappear after a short time. Please read the complete list of side effects on the insert. And remember that Evra -perfect new means of contraception, so the results of its long-term use are not yet known.

Evra is contraindicated in some women, particularly women who are strong migraines and has a tendency to thrombosis. In this case, to choose the best method of contraception can help the gynecologist.

Other issues related to Evra

At the end of the week do not forget to change the patch and carefully dispose of used tools by following the instructions on the package. In no case do not dispose of the patch to the toilet.

Why can not this be done? Because even in the used patch still some hormones that can get into the water. As you may be aware, female hormones Female hormones: because you - a woman! Contained in a variety of used feminine hygiene, recently often fall into the water, causing concern about possible environmental consequences. Some scientists even blame them in the "feminization" of certain types of fish.

The contraceptive patch may be unsafe

Office of the Food and Drug Administration warned women using a popular contraceptive patch Evra, he may release more hormones, and therefore, to a greater extent to increase the risk of dangerous side effects than previously thought.

Previously, experts believed that the risk of side effects when using the contraceptive patch is approximately the same as in the reception of hormonal contraceptive tablets. However, recently published an official warning, which states that women who use the contraceptive patch, get about 60% more estrogen than women who take regular birth control pills.

Evra patch went on sale in 2002; This event was accompanied by an active advertising campaign, in particular, it was hard not to see at least one poster or video, where to try the new drug offers a beautiful, slender models. Evra rather quickly gained popularity; Today, many women find it most convenient means of contraception.

While most of hormonal contraceptive pills Hormonal birth control pills - a modern method of preventing preg   contains about as much estrogen as in the patch Evra, hormones from the patch goes directly into the bloodstream, while pills first pass through the gastrointestinal tract and partially recycled. As a result, women using patches, estrogen levels in the body may be much higher than normal. For the same reason, experts say, these women are three times more common side effects of contraceptive patch - for example, the formation of blood clots, which sometimes leads to the death of patients.

It is estimated that in one year in the US alone more than a dozen patients aged little younger and a little over 20 years old, died from the effects of the formation of blood clots caused by the use of a contraceptive patch. Significantly more women thrombosis Thrombosis - the cause of heart attack and stroke   also had very serious consequences, but they managed to survive.

Outrageous claims

Company Ortho McNeil, which manufactures the patch Evra, is working with the Office of the Food and Drug Administration; its representatives emphasize that doctors should give patients detailed information on the risks associated with the patch.

Since then, as a patch Evra went on sale, they are used by millions of women. There are currently already filed several lawsuits from relatives of patients in whom the use of evryi resulted in death. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, as it became known in 2003, Ortho McNeil management refused to pay for a study to compare Evra patch to the pill Ortho-Cyclen production of the same company. Evidence suggests that this decision was taken because of the high probability that the results of the study may not be in favor of evryi. However, the company said that the decision on studies made on the basis of their potential scientific value.

At the same time, recent studies have confirmed once again that the use of contraceptive patch is absorbed much more estrogen Estrogen - the key to bone health Than during the use of birth control pills Birth control pills - do not forget to consult a doctor . Furthermore, when a woman is protected against pregnancy by means of tablets, hormone levels reaching a maximum of one or two hours after ingestion of the tablet. For 12 hours later, estrogen levels are getting pretty low. When using the contraceptive patch, on the contrary, estrogen levels remain elevated 24 hours as hormones enter the body permanently.

Maybe Ortho McNeil employees will be engaged in (or have engaged in) the improvement Evra patch - it is clear that he should devote less hormones to be considered safe for women. At the same time, some experts recommend that women today refuse to use Evra contraceptive patch and switch to the more traditional and less harmful contraceptives. They emphasize that the preparation of such high doses of hormones totally unjustified - it does not increase the effectiveness of contraception, and can cause serious, in some cases - irreparable harm.