Paper II
2020 February (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme)

Question

A recently married woman comes to your clinic with complaints of calf tenderness. She says she has been using a tablet for preventing pregnancy.

  • (a) Classify hormonal contraceptives 3 mark(s)
  • (b) Enumerate the advantages, disadvantages and precautions while using these drugs 1 mark(s)
Q24 marksEssays

Answer

(a) Classification of hormonal contraceptives

  • Combined oral contraceptive pills: Oestrogen + Progestin (e.g., Ethinylestradiol + Levonorgestrel)
  • Progestin-only pills (“mini-pill”): Norethindrone
  • Injectable: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)
  • Implants: Levonorgestrel/Etonogestrel subdermal implants
  • Transdermal patch/vaginal ring: Combined hormone delivery
  • Emergency contraceptives: Levonorgestrel (high-dose), Ulipristal acetate

(b) Advantages, disadvantages, and precautions

Advantages

  • Highly effective, reversible contraception
  • Regularizes menstrual cycles, reduces dysmenorrhoea
  • Reduces risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer

Disadvantages

  • Does not protect against sexually transmitted infections
  • Requires consistent daily compliance (for pills)
  • Risk of thromboembolism (relevant to this patient’s calf tenderness, which may suggest deep vein thrombosis, a recognized oestrogen-related adverse effect)

Precautions

  • Avoid/use with caution in smokers >35 years, history of thromboembolism, uncontrolled hypertension, migraine with aura, active liver disease
  • This patient’s calf tenderness while on the pill should raise clinical suspicion for DVT and warrants prompt evaluation (e.g., D-dimer, Doppler ultrasound) and consideration of discontinuing the oestrogen-containing contraceptive

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