Monique Rainford

Your chances of pregnancy after depoprovera

I would like to again thank those readers who have shared their questions with me. I will continue to devote special articles to answering your questions so keep reading.

Dear Dr. Rainford,

I would really like to know my chances of getting pregnant after using the depo contraceptive for almost one year. I am 32 years old with a teenage child and I really want another child this year or early next year, but I was told that I have to wait for one year. My spouse really wants a child and I am really depressed because I cannot give him this child now. What am I to do?

Dear Reader,

Depo-provera or depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate is a very effective injectable form of contraception and it may prevent pregnancy for about four months and sometimes longer. However, some studies have shown that the level of medication in the blood declines more quickly, so to ensure adequate protection against pregnancy a shot is recommended every three months.

The most common side effects of the medication include weight gain and changes in the menstrual cycle. Women may have irregular bleeding or may stop having menses all together. This method is completely reversible but despite that, in some women, the effect of the medication may last up to a year and they are unlikely to get pregnant during this time. This does not apply to all women so you may attempt pregnancy sooner if you desire.

Meanwhile, I encourage you to prepare your body for pregnancy in other ways. You should be maintaining a healthy weight and diet, exercising regularly and taking a multivitamin which includes at least 400mcg of folic acid.

Strange odour

Dear Dr. Rainford,

I have noticed for a few months now that every time after I have sex with my husband, I have a fishy odour. Even when I take a bath and dry myself properly, after awhile I smell this odour. The problem is that I only experience this after I have sex. I only had sex once with another guy before my husband and I used a condom. Do you think I have a bacterial infection?

Dear Reader,

A fishy odour is most commonly associated with the condition, bacterial vaginosis (BV). This odour is usually noticed after intercourse because of interaction with the semen.

In this infection, the normal bacteria usually found in a woman's vagina (which produces hydrogen peroxide), is replaced by a mixture of other bacteria which are unhealthy for the vagina. This condition is more common in black woman and is often not a sexually transmitted infection. The likelihood of infection is higher in women who douche and smoke. It also increases with the number of sex partners a woman has had in the 12 months before being diagnosed.

Conversely, lesbians tend to have higher rates of BV than heterosexual women. Nevertheless, it can also be found in women who are not sexually active. Women who use condoms and birth control pills have a lower risk of infection.

The infection can be easily diagnosed by a physician through simple techniques which may involve using a microscope or sending a swab to be tested. The treatment consists of oral antibiotics or inserts. Each method has advantages and disadvantages but work equally well. Unfortunately, in many women the infection may recur despite adequate treatment.

I recommend that you see your doctor to correctly diagnose your symptoms and obtain treatment.

Dr. Monique Rainford is a consulting obstetrician and gynaecologist; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.