Birth control, or contraception, is defined as the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies. Since ancient times, men and women across the globe have used a variety of methods for contraception. Unfortunately, most of these methods were very unsafe to the user’s health and/or ineffective in preventing pregnancies. Today, our country has the knowledge and technology needed to develop safer and effective contraception’s for both men and women.
Birth control can be practiced using natural or artificial methods. There are a range of artificial methods of birth control, including but not limited to the pill, the male and female condom, spermicides, intrauterine device, diaphragm, and the cervical cap. The pill and the male condom are amongst the most commonly used methods of contraception in the United States (1). Despite the artificial methods popularity, many Americans are still skeptical of the health risks and side effects artificial contraceptives carry. For these individuals, natural birth control methods may be a better alternative.
Natural birth control consist of behavioral methods that individuals are able to perform in order to help protect themselves from an unintentional pregnancy. These natural methods are dated to be some of the oldest forms of birth control available. Natural methods of birth control are preferred over artificial methods for a variety of reasons. Natural methods are inexpensive, convenient and easy to use, have zero to minimal side effects and health risks, and lastly, they do not use hormones. Abstinence, outercourse, withdrawal, fertility awareness, and the lactational amenorrhea method are all natural forms of birth control that are widely used today.
The term abstinence is often a...
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... a natural method of birth control, patience, dedication, and self-discipline are necessary to be successful. It is also very important to remember that natural contraceptives are only effective if they are followed consistently and accurately. Not all natural methods require the refrain from sexual activities. However, the methods that avoid these activities are the most effective. Of all the natural methods of birth control available, abstinence is the most successful because intercourse and sexual activities do not take place. In contrast, the least reliable natural method is the calendar method, due to the irregularity and common changes in most woman’s menstrual cycle. Despite the fact that all natural contraceptive methods differ in technique, effectiveness, and risks, they all hold the same purpose; to minimize the likelihood of an unplanned pregnancy.
The article “Birth control: World of Invention, 2006 Updated: April 30, 2006” defines birth control as, “contraception or the use of physical barriers, timing of sexual intercourse, chemicals, or a combination of these methods to prevent pregnancy. Many methods have been designed for women 's use, but few are available to men. There are quite a few reasons to use some form of birth control. The main one being to avoid pregnancy. Other reasons could be to prevent contracting an STD/STI and regulate hormone levels in order to control one’s menstrual cycle.
A thin, stretchy sheath about two inches in diameter and six to eight inches long, designed to be worn over penis during sex. Condoms form a physical barrier between penis and the vagina. After ejaculation the tip of the condom holds the semen and prevents it from traveling to woman's reproductive system to fertilize the egg.
Trussell, J., Stewart, F., Potts, M., Guest, F., & Ellertson, C. (1993). Should Oral Contraceptives
The birth control pill was made to help women from having kids (while on the pill) because back in the 1960’s married women went through multiple pregnancies and this took quite a toll on their physical and mental health. It wasn’t just to control the births of American women, but also the women in foreign third world countries, seeing as they were already beginning to be overpopulated and living mostly in poverty. According to A Critique of the Sexual Revolution:
In the early Middle Ages and long before this time, contraception and birth control were easily discussable and were common conversations among people until the mid-fourteenth century (McFarlane & Meier). So why did this information disappear and why is it so difficult to talk about this today? Right about the time that the witch trials began, many birth control methods were lost. It is said to be that most midwives (a person who delivers babies), were killed as witches in the trials, therefore losing information about old contraception methods (McFarlane & Meier). It is then easy to see why birth control and contraception methods were no longer talked about, as they were associated with witches. But in today’s world, about 99% of women
To prevent fertilization in women various contraceptive methods are utilized. One type of contraceptive method prescribed by physicians is NuvaRing. An online article published in Women’s Health Magazine addresses the issue whether this type of contraceptive is safe. The article entitled, “Is the NuvaRing ACTUALLY Going to Kill You? A Look at the Evidence” questions whether or not NuvaRing is a serious health risk to women. The concept of this article suggests that benefits outweigh the risks (Gueren, 2013).
Prevention isn’t the only reason for birth control techniques. Health is another major reason for the growing popularity of the birth control contraceptives. COCs or combined oral contraceptives help regulate a women’s menstrual cycle by suppressing ovulation. (Cornforth) The contraceptives also can reduce the severity of cra...
Having babies is a wonderful thing embraced by many women; however, having an unplanned one is not so nice. It is good to have an option of avoiding that, contraceptive methods can hold the pregnancy till the time is right. Thanks to John Rock, who was the first man to ever invent the birth control pill, we have the option of waiting until we are ready. Even though this sounds like a wonderful idea, there are major health risks to receiving any form of contraceptive. Even though your Gynecologist does not mention it, no birth control is truly safe.
Now a days there are several different methods of birth control. The first that I am going to talk about is called the rhythm method. As its synonym implies, this method is based on the assumption that, for each women, there is a rhythmic pattern of menstruation and ovulation that can be identified by keeping a careful record of the dates of menstruation. A second assumption is that
The aspect of sex and the use of birth control were touchy issues in the early 20th century. Sex was only for married couples that wanted to have children. The idea of sex before marriage was crazy. Because of all the beliefs about sex being only for procreation and not for pleasure birth control was not needed. There was one major event and one key person who are responsible for making the use of birth control acceptable in America. The major event being World War I. In World War I there was a lot of usage of whore houses by the French and English soldiers. A major problem with the French and English governments allowing men to go to the whorehouses was that there was rapid spread of VD. A soldier that is suffering from herpes, syphilis, or gonorrhea doesn’t fight too well. President Wilson was very concerned about the American soldiers getting sick and not able to fight. He also wanted to stop the spread of VD Wilson decided that during boot camp the soldiers would be taught about VD’s, and the effect of them. The recruits had to take a sexual education class. In the class the men were shown pictures and movies that showed what various vaginal diseases looked like, and what they would do to a mans sex organs. This was an effective in stopping the American soldiers from going to the French whorehouses. Another program the U.S. Government instituted to stop the spread of VD was to give out condoms to the soldiers.
The only guaranteed option of birth control is abstinence. Abstaining from having sexual intercourse will ensure that pregnancy does not occur and also prevents sexually transmitted infections. People may find it difficult to abstain for long periods of time and tend to end their abstinence without being prepared to protect themselves against pregnancy or venereal diseases. Many choose outer course which is sex play without vaginal intercourse. For others, it is sex play with no penetration at all. It is a 100% effective against pregnancy unless pre-ejaculate or sperm gets onto the vulva or into the vagina. Outer course however, frequently leads to intercourse, therefore another form of birth control and protection from infection has to be used.
Birth control pills should be removed from general consumption because of physical changes, emotional changes, and synthetic hormones. Birth control pills are very dangerous it could come with a lot affects. The few effect that birth control pills come with is that is more serious, although rare woman that take the pill are in the risk of having a heart attacks, high blood pressure, blood clots, strokes, liver tumor, and gallstone. These effects are most likely not to happen to woman the chances are very low. A woman is more at risk if she is overweight and older than 35 years old of having a heart attack or stroke.
Birth control has been in effect for a long time. People think that the pill or condom would hold the top spot for number one, but no. What many people do not know is that sterilization is the number one form of birth control. Today sterilization is a form of contraception for more than 223 million couples (Scott and Glasier, 2003). Even though sterilization is the number one procedure it has not always been executed through the consensus of its partakers.
Contraception, contragestion, (preventing the fertilized egg from implantation - morning-after-pill) and the chemical or surgical induction of abortion are all types of birth control routes to prevent or end pregnancy (“What”). Contraception is the devices, drugs, agents, sexual practices, or surgical procedures to prevent a pregnancy. Contraception tends to help a women decide if and when she would want to have a baby (“What”). There are around 17 different types of birth control methods. According to the article from Oxford there are three main categories of contraception. They are the barrier methods, intrauterine, and the hormonal methods (“Contraception”). They vary from a pill, patch, shot, an implant and a condom to name a few. The most common type of contraception for women is the birth control pill. This pill includes estrogen and progestin to stop the release of the egg and thin the lining of the uterus. If the contraception device is used correctly, only about 3 in every 1,000 women will beco...
We have all heard sad stories of unwanted teenage pregnancies. There are the girls who drop out of school to care for babies they did not really want, having to work to support their unexpected new "families." There are the guys who marry before they are ready and perhaps to wives they would not otherwise have married-so often these marriages end in divorce. Most tragic of all, though, are the children who grow up knowing that they were not wanted in the first place, knowing that they were more a burden to their parents than a joy even before they were born. Clearly, we as a society need to get a grip on this problem of teenage pregnancy, and the obvious solution is to encourage teens to be responsible and practice birth control. But we face so many choices in deciding which type of birth control to use. Condoms? IUDs? Diaphragms? DepoProvera injections? "The Pill"? Abortion? Abstinence? Which method of birth control is the most practical and the most likely to provide a legitimate solution to the problem of teenage pregnancy?