Birth control pills may not be a safe option if you have or are at risk forlupus.
This is the time considered the childbearing years.
Those pills can increase the severity of the disease and lead toblood clots.
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However, people with lupus now have safe alternatives to the pill.
These are calledantiphospholipid(APL) antibodies.
The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies changes the risks of hormonal birth control options.
Having high or low disease activity also affects risk.
Systemic inflammation with active lupus increases clotting risk, even without APL antibodies.
So doesproteinuria(high urinary protein levels), which occurs with lupus nephritis (kidney involvement).
The risks dont apply to everyone with lupus, though.
But not all of them are considered safe if you have lupus.
These birth control methods involve:
Breast tenderness, headache, and weight gain are side effects.
These include:
All of these methods are safe to use by nearly everyone with lupus.
However, these methods are less effective than others at preventing pregnancy.
It is sometimes recommended that you use spermicide with a barrier.
An added bonus of condoms is that they help protect againstsexually transmitted infections(STIs).
Most birth control methods do not.
Side effects vary by bang out of barrier method.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse or birth control failure.
This includes forgetting to take the pill or a condom breaking during sex.
All types of emergency contraception are believed to be safe if you have lupus.
Tubal Ligation
If youre not planning any future pregnancies, you might choose atubal ligation.
This bang out of surgery reduces the risk of certain gynecological cancers.
The tubes in question are thefallopian tubesthat carry eggs from your ovaries to youruterus.
Tubal ligation ispermanent birth control, also called sterilization.
A further procedurecan sometimes reverse it, but it may be more difficult to get pregnant afterward.
Even as minor surgery, tubal ligation has some risks.
These include:
People who have had a tubal ligation still have a small risk of getting pregnant.
Vasectomy
Avasectomyis an option for your male partner.
Its also considered permanent birth control, but it can sometimes be reversed.
This procedure prevents the sperm from getting into the semen thats ejaculated during a male orgasm.
Its the most effective form of birth control other than complete abstinence.
Its severed during a vasectomy.
Rarely, the vas deferens repairs itself, which can lead to pregnancy.
If you have lupus and suspect youre pregnant, call your healthcare provider right away.
Also, get an appointment with anobstetrician-gynecologist(ob-gyn) who specializes in high-risk pregnancies.
Summary
Not all forms of birth control are safe with lupus.
Unplanned pregnancies should be avoided due to some lupus treatments risk of causing birth defects.
Barrier methods and permanent sterilization pose no special risk for people with lupus.
Side effects are possible regardless of the method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hormonal products prevent ovulation, meaning the ovary doesnt release an egg.
Barrier methods literally provide a barrier so the egg and sperm cant reach each other.
Spermicide blocks the cervix and slows sperm so they cant reach an egg.
Most forms of birth control require a healthcare providers prescription.
Several require a medical procedure to place them, including IUDs and implants.
Costs vary significantly, and so does insurance coverage.
Birth control pills typically run between $0 and $50 a month.
IUDs and implants cost around $1,000 without help from insurance or special programs.
Condoms typically start around $1 apiece.
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Hospital for Special Surgery.Lupus and contraception: Essentials for patients.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Estrogen and progestin (oral contraceptives).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Highlights of prescribing information: Depo-Provera CI (medroxyprogesterone acetate).
Arizona State University, The Embryo Project Encyclopedia.Hormone releasing intrauterine devices.
Nemours TeensHealth.Birth control ring.
Nemours TeensHealth.Birth control patch.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: FDA AccessData.Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system)
Nemours TeensHealth.Implantable contraception.
University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.Male condoms.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Tubal ligation.
Urology Care Foundation.What is a vasectomy?
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