Questions and Answers
Does a woman still need to have a pregnancy test before receiving her first Depo injection if she has her normal menstrual period? #410/15
Q:        We are trying to update our guidelines for DMPA injections. For an initial start, if a woman has her normal menstrual period, do we still need to do a pregnancy test before administering the Depo injection? Thank you! A:     If a...
After my regular period I began bleeding constantly with cramping. What is going on? #313/15
Q        My regular period stopped about 12 days ago and I then started bleeding again. No pain at first, but now after 3 days I am bleeding constantly and cramping. What’s up? I am 36 years old and consider myself very healthy. A:       You...
Are there other ways to treat a hyperechoic lesion within the andometrium other than hysterectomy? #406/15
Q:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â DEAR MAYO CLINIC:Â I am 40Â years old. After having a period that lasted nearly two months, I had tests done that showed a small, hyperechoic lesion within the endometrium. What exactly does this mean? My primary care doctor suggested a hysterectomy...
Is my patient a good candidate for combined pills, a ring or a patch? #409/15
Q:       Hello, I have a question about postpartum birth control. My patient is a 29 year old who just had her first baby (vaginal birth). She is exclusively breastfeeding. Her pre-pregnant BMI was 45. Because of her weight, one of my partners thought...
How can fetal alcohol spectrum disorders be prevented? #403/15
Q:       What are the facts on pregnancy and drinking?          A:        Below are new facts from ARHP as a resource for couseling patients about pregnancy and alcohol consumption. By clearly communicating the risks of drinking...
Where do you stand on women’s rights? #404/15
Q:       How did you become an ardent feminist?    A:       This is how I became an ardent feminist. For 15 years I have given lectures to different classes of students from Georgia Tech (several a year). Each class had 250 to 300 students....
Could I try to become pregnant the month after my Mirena IUD removal? #402/15
Q        I am 35 years old and have had the Mirena IUD for over 3 years with no problems. My periods stopped during that time. My menstrual history is good with regular periods and no problems. My husband and I are ready to have another baby, so I had my...
“What you do in life thunders so loud that I can’t hear what you say.” #401/15
Q        Why are actions so much more important than words?      A:       For family planning fellows, nurse practitioners, doctors, medical and nursing students… Ralph Waldo Emerson made a wise observation when he said “What you do in...
I had sex and the condom broke. Why am I bleeding now? #316/15
Q        Why am I bleeding after my boyfriend and I had sex and the condom broke?       A:       Have you been using any other type of birth control other than condoms? If yes, what? If not, you should get Plan B emergency...
After taking only two Depo-Provera shots, how long will it take for me to become pregnant? #303/15
Q        I first took the Depo shot in September and again in December. I was supposed to go back to get the next injection in March, but I decided not to. So basically, I only took 2 Depo shots. I just turned 19 years old, but my boyfriend and I have...
