The clinic focus will be to help women who are battling other health conditions with family planning and pregnancy prevention.UAB Medicine’s Complex Contraception Clinic is now open at the John N Whitaker Building. The Complex Contraception Clinic will serve women with complicated medical issues who either desire to or medically need to avoid pregnancy. The clinic’s physician team from Univeristy of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will counsel women on evidence-based contraceptive options. They will also develop a temporary or permanent contraception plan that best suits the patient’s medical needs.
“There are a lot of women who, for a wide-range of medical reasons, simply need to prevent pregnancy. Our goal is to work with those women to develop a contraception plan that is best for their comprehensive health needs, as well as their personal desires,” said Margaret Boozer, M.D., OBGYN and director of the clinic. “It could be the woman living with lupus, or in the midst of chemotherapy, or someone with a congenital heart defect — those health issues complicate potential pregnancies and put a woman’s own health at significant risk. We’re here guide them through their options before pregnancy ever occurs.”
Women who visit the Complex Contraception Clinic will receive one-on-one counseling services with a gynecologist to review their medical history and current medications that could interfere with different forms of birth control and/or complicate a potential pregnancy. From there, the physician and patient will determine what contraceptive option is best for the patient. Various contraceptive technologies include intrauterine devices, contraceptive implants or laparoscopic sterilization.
The clinic is currently accepting new patients. Existing or potential patients, as well as providers, can refer women to the Complex Contraception Clinic or make an appointment by calling 205- 996-3130. More information is available at uab.edu/medicine/obgyn. UAB providers and physicians can refer patients with an internal specialty referral in IMPACT.