Most
young couples face this dilemma – “how to prevent pregnancy without disturbing
your sex life”. It is easy to feel lost
as someone without adequate knowledge of various birth
control management option available. Today we
have many safe and effective birth control methods that allow you to enjoy your
sex life and delay pregnancy until you are ready for it.
This blog
will educate you on the various methods of birth control.
1. Fertility awareness.
Fertility
Awareness Method (FAM) also known as natural family planning or rhythm method
is a way to predict fertility and infertility times in your cycle. This is a natural method that does not use any
drug or device neither has any effects on the male & female reproductive
functioning. This fertility awareness method can be used both for preventing
pregnancy as well as to target to most fertile time to get pregnant.
A pregnancy
starts with fertilization, when a woman’s egg joins with a man’s sperms. FAM
reduces the chances of pregnancy by informing the days are your most fertile,
and then abstain from sex or you may use other preventive methods.
There are
many online tools and applications available that can help you track your
menstrual cycle. It is difficult to measure its accuracy rate; hence, it is
advisable for you to take expert advice to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
2. Condom
This is the
easiest and the most readily available option for birth control. These are the
thin sheet made of latex meant to be worn over the male reproductive organ
during the time of intercourse to prevent the semen from coming into contact
with fertile eggs. The biggest disadvantage of using a condom is, it might
break, leaving you at risk of getting pregnant or contracting ISD. It is also an
effective method to avoid infection from the viruses that cause AIDS and other
sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s).
3. Birth Control Pills
The Birth
control pill prevents pregnancy by a combined action of hormones - estrogens and
progestin that prevents ovulation, so that pregnancy can’t take place. When
taken properly under proper prescription, they are extremely effective. Depending
on person to person, one may or may not experience side-effects such as, nausea,
headache, breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular bleeding, and depression.
4. Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)
Intrauterine
Devices (IUDs) can be a very helpful
solution if you are seeking for a long-lasting protection for delaying
pregnancy. It is a small metal device inserted into the uterus by a health care
provider. Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) stands out to be the most suitable and
durable option for women to plan their pregnancy. It does not have any
side-effect and can delay pregnancy for up to 8 to 10 years and can be removed
when the couple is ready. However, there are two variations of this device –
one works by releasing hormones and other affects the mobility of sperms and
stops them from fertilizing the eggs. This option is usually preferred by women
who already have delivered a baby and does not wants to plan their second child
immediately.
5. Emergency contraceptive pills
Emergency contraceptive
pills help prevent unwanted pregnancy after an accidental or spontaneous
intercourse. However, you need to reach out for this pill within 48 to 72 hours
of having an unprotected sex. Any delay in taking these pills could lead to an
unwanted pregnancy.
Different Birth Control Options by Health Care on Scribd