A 22-year-old woman receives a prescription for oral contraceptives. Education for this patient includes:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Counseling regarding decreasing or not smoking while taking oral contraceptives is important because smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular side effects while taking oral contraceptives.

Answer: B
 Advising a monthly pregnancy test for the first 3 months she is taking the contraceptive is important to ensure that the contraceptive is effective and to detect any potential pregnancy early on.

Answer: C
 Advising that she may miss two pills in a row and not be concerned about pregnancy is not accurate information. Missing two or more active pills in a row increases the risk of pregnancy and appropriate instructions must be provided to the patient.

Answer: D
 Recommending that her next follow-up visit is in 1 year for a refill and annual exam is not accurate information. Follow-up visits should be scheduled more frequently to monitor the patient's response to the contraceptive, detect any potential adverse effects, and reinforce proper use.

A 22-Year-Old Woman Receives a Prescription for Oral Contraceptives