UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraception

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria (UK MEC)

• UK MEC provides guidelines for safe use of contraceptive methods.
• Based on best evidence and clinical expert advice where evidence is limited.
• Identifies health conditions (e.g., hypertension) and characteristics (e.g., smoking) influencing contraceptive safety.
• Recommendations focus on safety; do not cover efficacy or drug interactions.
• Guidance should complement clinical judgment rather than replace it.

Categories of Health Conditions

• Category 1: No restrictions on method use.
• Category 2: Advantages generally outweigh theoretical or proven risks.
• Category 3: Theoretical or proven risks often outweigh advantages; expert judgment required.
• Category 4: Unacceptable health risk associated with method use.

Initiation and Continuation of Contraceptive Methods

• Initiation: Safety assessed at the beginning of contraception based on existing health conditions and characteristics.
• Continuation: Ongoing safety evaluated if new health conditions develop during use.
• Must balance safety risks of contraception against health risks of potential pregnancy.

Global Contraceptive Context

• Approximately 213 million pregnancies occur worldwide each year.
• Unintended pregnancies are a significant issue, with many women lacking access to safe contraception.
• The World Health Organisation indicates over 200 million women wanting to avoid pregnancy are not using contraception.
• Accessible contraception could decrease unintended pregnancies by up to 75%.

Statistics in England and Wales

• Nearly 825,000 conceptions were recorded in 2021.
• 45% of pregnancies and one-third of births were unplanned or felt ambivalent.
• Unplanned pregnancies can harm the health of mothers and children.

Trends in Contraceptive Use

• Increase in long-acting reversible contraceptives like implants, IU devices, and injectables.
• A decline in the uptake of the contraceptive pill, which remains popular.
• Effective sex education correlates with a decrease in emergency contraceptive usage over the past decade.

Importance of Education and Accessibility

• Contraception empowers individuals with choice and control over reproduction.
• Healthcare professionals should support patients in their contraceptive choices and promote sexual health.
• Comprehensive sexual health education is essential for safe, effective contraceptive access.

Conception and Pregnancy Process

• Conception begins with ovulation, typically around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.
• An egg is released and travels down the fallopian tube during ovulation.
• Millions of sperm enter the vagina during unprotected sex, navigating to the egg.
• Only one sperm penetrates the egg, resulting in fertilization and the formation of a zygote.
• The zygote rapidly divides, forming a blastocyst over 5-7 days before implantation in the uterus.

Explore the UK Medical Eligibility Criteria (UK MEC) guidelines for safe contraceptive methods. This quiz covers health conditions that impact contraceptive safety and categorizes risks associated with different methods. Understanding these criteria is crucial for safe contraceptive use in clinical practice.