Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

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Dr. Jim Shelton's Pearls "Pearl" for the week of April 8, 2005

OCs and Anemia

Oral contraceptives as supplied by USAID alleviate anemia in three different ways. Can you name the three ways?

1. By preventing pregnancy (since pregnancy and lactation take iron from the woman's iron stores.)
2. By reducing blood loss during menstruation.
3. By providing a small amount of iron in the 7 "placebo" pills.
(Not all OCs have the iron, but the one's USAID supplies do.)

Score yourself:

0/3 - At least you tried. And now you know.
1/3 - Good basic understanding. On your way to enlightenment.
2/3 - Very well informed, impressive. Almost there.
3/3 - True cognoscente. Start your own information service.

(There may be other ways I didn't think of.)

The "Pearls" offer answers to commonly asked questions about family planning. These "Pearls" are prepared by Dr. James D. Shelton, Senior Medical Scientist, Office of Population, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Disclaimer: The information provided on this web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government or The Johns Hopkins University.