Some basic facts about contraceptive patch

The combined oral contraceptive pills are the most popular form of contraception among the UK women, but a recently introduced hormonal contraceptive method, Evra patch, is capable of providing equally effective protection against the chances of unwanted pregnancy. This hormonal birth control patch is preferred more by those women who extremely busy in their professional life and the chances are high that they may forget to take their daily contraceptive pills. Apart from this, women who don’t wish to get into taking the hazards of using contraceptive pills on a regular basis also find the Evra patch quite useful.

What is the difference between the hormonal contraceptive patch and pill?

A hormonal contraceptive patch and a combined contraceptive pill in terms of their function, giving protection to a woman from the risks of unwanted pregnancy, work in the same way in the physical system. However, they differ from one another in terms of compositionally, usability and precautionary measures. Evra patch contains synthetic oestrogen and progestogen as ethinylestradiol and norelgestromin; whereas the hormonal combination in contraceptive pills may differ to a large extent. Contraceptive pills need to be taken on a daily basis but a patch needs to be attached onto the skin continuously for 7 days.

It is expected that contraceptive pills are taken at the same time every day and if you forget to take it at the scheduled time you can take it within the next 6 hours. A contraceptive patch user, however, needs to be extra careful as if the patch remains detached from her skin for more than 3 hours, she may be exposed to the risk of unwanted pregnancy.

How does a contraceptive patch work?

The combination of oestrogen and progestogen in the Evra patch helps in continuously supplying two hormones to your physical system. Ethinylestradiol and norelgestromin, the basic ingredients of the contraceptive method, are almost similar to the natural oestrogen and progestogen produced in the ovary. Synthetic hormones delivered by the contraceptive patch increase levels of these two hormones in your blood. They stop ovulation or release of eggs in the ovary, thicken the cervical fluid at the neck of womb so that sperm cannot enter and change the womb lining so that an egg cannot attach itself on the ovarian wall. It has been estimated that less than one woman among every hundred using Evra patch became pregnant after using this method.

Issues to be careful of

Evra patch, though it is equally safe and effective against the risks of unwanted pregnancy as combined contraceptive pills, may expose to the risk of unwanted conception if it comes off your skin and is not reapplied within 3 hours. Moreover, it is not safe to be used by those women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a history of thrombosis, high blood pressure and heart attack. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol problem then also using the contraceptive patch is not advisable.