OSSSC Nursing Officer-2023
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Easy
Side effect of oral contraceptives are all except:
Appeared in: OSSSC Nursing Officer-2023
Explanation
- Oral contraceptives (OCs) provide a significant protective effect against ovarian cancer, rather than increasing the risk.
- Studies have consistently shown that using combined OCs can reduce a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer by 30-50%.
- This protective benefit increases with the duration of use and can persist for many years even after discontinuing the pills.
- The primary mechanism for this protection is believed to be the suppression of ovulation, which reduces the number of ovulatory cycles and the associated repetitive minor trauma to the ovarian surface epithelium.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Irregular bleeding, also known as breakthrough bleeding or spotting, is a very common side effect of oral contraceptives, particularly during the first one to three cycles of use as the body adjusts to the hormones.
- Option B: Headache is a frequently reported side effect of oral contraceptives. It is often attributed to the estrogen component and the hormonal fluctuations that occur, especially during the pill-free interval.
- Option C: Venous thrombosis (the formation of blood clots in veins) is a well-documented, serious risk associated with combined oral contraceptives. The estrogen component increases the hepatic production of clotting factors, leading to a hypercoagulable state.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Side effects and benefits of oral contraceptives as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Nurses play a crucial role in educating patients about both the common, manageable side effects of OCs and the serious 'ACHES' warning signs that require immediate medical attention.
- Patient counseling should be comprehensive, including the significant non-contraceptive benefits like cancer risk reduction, which can be a key factor in a patient's decision-making and adherence.
- What if? If a patient on OCs reports sudden, severe, unilateral leg pain and swelling, the nurse must suspect a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The immediate nursing action is to instruct the patient to seek emergency care and to notify the healthcare provider for urgent evaluation, which may include a Doppler ultrasound and initiation of anticoagulation therapy. This is a medical emergency.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core subject of the question, which is the side effects of oral contraceptives.
- Next, carefully note the keyword 'except'. This indicates that you are looking for the option that is NOT a side effect of OCs.
- Systematically evaluate each option based on your pharmacological knowledge.
- Evaluate 'Irregular bleeding': This is a known, common side effect. So, it's not the answer.
- Evaluate 'Headache': This is also a known, common side effect. So, it's not the answer.
- Evaluate 'Venous thrombosis': This is a known, serious risk. So, it's not the answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Side effects and benefits of oral contraceptives.
- Stem keywords: Side effect, oral contraceptives
- Lead-in keywords: except
- Negative lead-in flag: The question asks for the EXCEPTION among the listed options.
Question ID
QiMjG_wMa5je_vZkHFkRDd
Reference Book
E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 196-198
E6 Gynecology Williams p. 127-157
Practise the full OSSSC Nursing Officer-2023
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
More Population Dynamics and Control of Conception Questions
- What is the best time of insertion of Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUCD)?
- Which of the following Emergency contraceptive methods, except?
- Cu IUCD 380A is effective up to how many years to prevent conception?
- Which of the following method of contraception can prevent sexually transmitted disease?
- Natural method of family planning among the following is?
- A woman using a diaphragm for contraception should be instructed to leave it in place for at least how long after intercourse?
- Which of the following is the terminal method of contraceptive in males?
- Which of the following is the terminal method of contraception?
- A 38-year-old lady wants to use a spacing method. She is smoking one packet of cigarettes daily. Which method of contraception is best for her?
- The surgical procedure that involves blocking or sealing the fallopian tubes to prevent the passage of eggs is:
More OSSSC Nursing Officer-2023 Questions
- A number exceeds 30% of itself by 49. The number is?
- The greatest 4-digit number exactly divisible by 15, 20 and 25 is?
- sqrt(18) + sqrt(162) / sqrt(72) \= ?
- If a man spends 5/8 part of money and again earns 1/3 part of the remaining money, what part of his money is with him now?
- If a number is 50% more than the other, how much per cent is the second number less than the first?
- The average of 20 numbers is 48. If two numbers, namely, 53 and 70 are discarded, what is the average of the remaining numbers?
- Two numbers are in the ratio of 3:8. If the larger number is 40 more than smaller number, then the product of the numbers is:
- On selling an article for Rs. 900, the loss is 25%. To make a profit of 25%, the article must be sold at?
- 'A' can do 1/4 of a work in 6 days and 'B' can do 2/3 of the work in 12 days. In how many days both 'A' and 'B' together can do the work?
- A car covers the first 50 Km of its journey in 75 minutes and the remaining 30 Km in 25 minutes. What is the average speed of the car?