Training of Roma Health Mediators in Reproductive Health

• One who is fully informed and is absolutely certain that s/he wants no more children
• Women who have a health condition which makes pregnancy very risky.
Discus the myths and rumors in relation to tubal ligation and vasectomy and how to
dispel them.
f) EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION (10 minutes)
Explain that for different reasons, people sometimes have “unprotected sex”. Ask
participants to define situations in which unprotected sex is more likely to happen. List
the answers on the flipchart.
• Woman has sexual intercourse without contraception (unplanned intercourse)
• Woman has sex against her will
• Woman uses a contraceptive method but it fails:
o the condom breaks
o the IUD has been expelled
o the woman vomits within an hour of taking her pill
• The woman has incorrectly used the contraceptive method:
o she has forgotten to take the pill
o she has delayed her follow-up visit for a new dose of injectable contraceptive
o she has done a vaginal douche within less than 6 hours after using spermicidal
jelly, etc.
Explain that in any of these situations, another type of contraceptive is available, named
emergency contraception.
Emphasize that this type of contraception should not be used on a routine or a regular
basis (“in place of family planning methods”), but only in emergency situations (when
unprotected sex has occurred and the woman wants to avoid pregnancy).
There are two types of emergency contraception:
• The woman can use pills with a high dose of hormones up to 3 days after unprotected
intercourse.
• The woman can ask for an IUD insertion up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse.
Both methods prevent the pregnancy from occurring. Neither method acts on an egg
already attached in the uterus (they are not methods of abortion).
Add that frequent use of the hormonal method is not recommended due to the high level
of hormones contained in this type of contraception compared to the regular use of oral
contraceptives. If a woman repeatedly requests emergency contraception, she needs a
family planning method and she should be encouraged to choose one.
If an IUD was chosen for emergency contraception, the woman can keep it as a regular,
long-term method of family planning.
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RFHI/JSI Romania Training of RHMs in Reproductive Health Session 4: FP Methods