Question

Difficulty: MediumMenstrual Cycle Abnormalities and Contraception

Match each patient's clinical profile with the most appropriate contraceptive method based on the Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use.

  • A 34-year-old woman with active breast cancer who desires a highly effective, long-acting reversible contraceptive method.Copper intrauterine device
  • A 26-year-old woman with Wilson disease and a bicornuate uterus who desires a highly effective, long-acting reversible contraceptive method.Subdermal etonogestrel implant
  • A 29-year-old woman with a history of unprovoked deep vein thrombosis and heavy menstrual bleeding causing symptomatic anemia.Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device
  • A 23-year-old woman with sickle cell disease who desires a highly effective contraceptive method that may also decrease the frequency of her vaso-occlusive pain crises.Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate

Answer

The correct matches depend on identifying absolute contraindications and secondary benefits. Active breast cancer requires the hormone-free copper intrauterine device. Wilson disease and a bicornuate uterus necessitate the subdermal etonogestrel implant to avoid copper toxicity and uterine placement. Deep vein thrombosis with heavy bleeding is best managed with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. Sickle cell disease benefits uniquely from depot medroxyprogesterone acetate.
Each correct pairing navigates the Medical Eligibility Criteria by avoiding Category 4 conditions (e.g., placing hormones in breast cancer patients, placing any device in a distorted uterine cavity) while maximizing secondary benefits (e.g., treating heavy bleeding with a levonorgestrel device, preventing pain crises with depot injections).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate the 34-year-old patient with active breast cancer.
Identify that all hormonal methods (estrogen and progestin) are Category 4 (absolute contraindication), leaving the copper intrauterine device as the optimal choice.
Hormones can stimulate the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers.
2
Evaluate the 26-year-old patient with Wilson disease and a bicornuate uterus.
Rule out the copper intrauterine device (due to abnormal copper metabolism) and the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (due to uterine cavity distortion), leaving the subdermal implant.
Proper placement and efficacy of intrauterine devices require a normal uterine cavity, and avoiding systemic copper accumulation is critical in Wilson disease.
3
Evaluate the 29-year-old patient with deep vein thrombosis and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Rule out estrogen-containing methods due to thrombotic risk, and select the levonorgestrel intrauterine device to directly treat the heavy bleeding.
The levonorgestrel intrauterine device thins the endometrial lining, significantly reducing menstrual blood loss.
4
Evaluate the 23-year-old patient with sickle cell disease.
Select depot medroxyprogesterone acetate.
This injectable progestin has been shown to stabilize red blood cell membranes and induce amenorrhea, thereby reducing sickle cell pain crises.

Key Concept

Applying the Medical Eligibility Criteria for contraceptive use to navigate complex absolute contraindications (Category 4) and utilize non-contraceptive benefits.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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