New Treatment for Neurogenic Bladders Treatments for Spasticity in SCI The Neuro Control Freehand System Urinary Tract Infection ... Return to Home Page Pregnancy in Spinal Cord Injury Women who have suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury often feel that they have lost their ability to be sexually active and fertile. This is completely untrue. Spinal cord injury is not a barrier to sexuality or motherhood. After a traumatic spinal cord injury, a woman experiences a period of amenorrhea (the inability to have a period) for three months to one year. The first cycles are irregular. Therefore, it may be difficult to predict when you are ovulating and fertile. If she does not wish to become pregnant, a spinal cord injured female should use contraception. The contraceptives available to woman with SCI include condoms, spermicidal foams, sponges, diaphragms, birth control pills and hormonal implants. In the author's opinion, birth control pills and hormonal implants are not the best choice for contraception in a spinal cord injured woman. These contraceptives can cause blood clots to form and can elevate blood pressure. These risks become greater if a woman smokes. Spinal cord injured individuals, by virtue of their immobility, are already at increased risk for blood clots to form in their legs, which can travel to their lungs and be fatal. Birth control pills high in estrogen may, in addition, cause increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. | |
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