Birth control presupposes different activities, medications, or kinds of equipment which are used for pregnancy prevention. There’re different methods of birth control for women who don’t want to become pregnant. Before choosing the suitable method for you, consult your physician and your partner.
Different birth control methods function in different ways but with the same purpose - pregnancy prevention. They include:
- killing sperm
- creating a barrier preventing sperm from meeting the egg
- changing the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from getting into the uterus
- hindering eggs from being released by the ovaries
- changing the tissue lining preventing a fertilized egg from implanting
Types of birth control methods
The methods that don’t require a prescription from the physician are as follows:
- abstinence - avoiding sexual intercourse.
- spermicides are represented by creams and foams which are placed inside the vagina and killing sperm. Spermicides can also offer protection from sexually transmitted diseases, especially in combination with a latex condom.
- male condoms are represented by a thin tube made of latex or some natural material. It’s worn on the penis and the sperm is gathered in the condom. Latex condoms can also offer protection from sexually transmitted diseases.
- female condoms are represented by a liner produced from latex or natural material. It’s located inside the vagina and can also offer protection from sexually transmitted diseases.
- natural family planning is represented by timing intercourse to know "fertile" days and to use different methods of observing body temperature, considering changes in cervical mucus, and the usage of ovulation prediction kits. This method is also called the "rhythm" method and has an extremely high risk for pregnancy.
The methods requiring consulting your physician and a prescription are as follows:
- oral contraceptives, also known as birth control pills are medications taken with the intention of prevention ovulation. Oral contraceptives mostly contain such hormones as estrogen and progestin.
Oral contraceptives also offer a few health advantages: regular menstrual cycles and menstrual periods become less in amount and duration. Consequently, a woman can stores iron in her body, that’s especially important if a woman has iron deficiency connected with excessive bleeding. Oral contraceptives also help to prevent ovarian and endometrial cancers as well as breast diseases, like fibroadenoma and cystic changes. It was also lately proved that oral contraceptive are able to reduce the appearance of severe rheumatoid arthritis.
A mini-pill contains hormone progestin. It should be taken daily, it functions by means of thickening cervical mucus and preventing the sperm to reach the egg. The mini-pill effectively decreases the amount of your period and can protect from PID, ovarian as well as endometrial cancer.
Norplant are capsules that contain the synthetic hormone levonorgestrel which is implanted under the skin of a woman. It prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg about five years. Anesthesia is needed for insertion and removal of norplant.
Depo-Provera is a progesterone-like drug which is also injected and functions by means of stopping ovulation. It effects for about three months after which another injection should be given.
Other birth control methods include monthly injections, patch (skin patch worn on the body and releasing estrogen and progestin into the bloodstream), diaphragm or cervical cap, hormonal vaginal contraceptive ring, intrauterine device (IUD), intraunterine system (IUS), nonsurgical sterilization.
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