BIRTH CONTROL

What Does Birth Control Do Other Than Preventing Pregnancy?

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:51:48 +0000

I want to go on birth control but I can’t without telling my mom that I’m sexually active. What are some reasons I could give my mom?
I’ve heard that they help with period cramps…
Pleeeaase don’t judge me. I’m not a s|ut or anything. And I can’t tell my mom either.

Myths About Birth Control

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:03:46 +0000

There are lots of people who have myths in their mind, and they have lots of wrong myths about birth control. Like,

1. Birth control pills cause cancer

There is not any relation of birth control pills with cancer, however some side effects are there with pills but that doesn’t mean that this may also cause cancer. Very recently there were some research suggests that if you are taking pills it may be in rare case developed breast cancer but these things happen in some cases only.

This will hardly effect sometime for those who used to take pill on regular base other ways this is not the reason for cancer. If this will affect as cancer then also this will not affect suddenly; it may happen after 30 years age. This will effect only when you stop taking the combined pill.

2. If you are not finding a condom as option you can use Balloon as well

This is true sometime backing this myth floating around the world! However Saran wrap is not an alternate of a condom. If you don’t have any particular method of birth control at a time, then do not ever try to use any other option like plastic sandwich. Some people use this, they apply plastic sandwich on their penis and they feel this will work to avoid pregnancy. However this is wrong and this will never work. So do not use this kind of thing, even do not try to use toothpaste in place of a spermicide. This will never be helpful to kill sperm; however this is fact that people use this kind of things. So please keep yourself away from this kind of myth.

3. Jumping, Up and Down or Placing Seeds in the Vagina is a great solution to avoid pregnancy

There are lots of people who believe that if you are coughing, sneezing and jumping up and down after having sex then these actions will remove sperm from vagina and you will not get pregnant. However this is wrong; sperm are really very fast and they can swim towards an egg rapidly and so all these methods never work for preventing pregnancy. Even some women try to insert seeds or plants into the vagina before having sex or if they forgot to place before having sex they do it during of after having sex but this will also not help you to stop pregnancy. Sometime this kind of thing may create critical problems for women’s body. So try to keep yourself away from these kinds of myths.

4. If a woman can’t reach to climax, then she can not be pregnant

Some people also think that if they don’t allow themselves to reach to climax during sex, then they are not going to get pregnant. This kind of thing will never help any one with birth control. Whether you reach climax or not if enjoy sex without condom or any other birth control methods, you are definitely going to get pregnant.

So these kinds of myths people having in their mind. So please keep yourself away from such myths as they are not going to give you any kind of help for birth control.

Birth Control While Breastfeeding

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:39:15 +0000

Can a woman get pregnant when she’s nursing? How can you prevent pregnancy and not harm the baby? Here are the facts that nursing and expecting mothers need to know.
A woman can get pregnant when she is nursing. If you want to prevent pregnancy while nursing, you have a few options for birth control.Sex After Childbirth
It used to be that women were advised to not have sex until six weeks after they gave birth, at their six week check-up. If you feel comfortable with this, then you can wait. However, the vagina typically heals after two weeks or so, and the cervix will also be closed after two weeks. If you haven’t had any complications, you can have sex as early as two weeks after you give birth. Ask your doctor if there are any reasons you shouldn’t. You might not want to have sex after you give birth: a woman’s hormones change dramatically after being pregnant, and sometimes they are not as sexually charged. If you are interested in sex, know that you could be fertile again as soon as two weeks after you have your baby. Be aware of this and choose your contraception wisely.Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM)
This is sometimes also called the breastfeeding method. This is the method that has some people confused as to whether or not you can get pregnant while you are nursing. If you choose to nurse your baby and to not give your baby other milk, you can postpone your fertility.
This means you feed your baby every four hours (from both breasts). In the night, you have to feed your baby at least every six hours.
You can only use this method if you are nursing and if you haven’t had a period since your baby was born. This method only works for six months after the baby is born, and then you have to use another method.Barrier Methods
Barrier methods of birth control won’t harm your nursing infant. These include condoms, female condoms, sponges, and prescription barrier based methods. With many prescription barrier methods, you have to wait until six to eight weeks after delivery: these include diaphragms, cervical caps, and shields.
If you are using a barrier based method with a spermicide, be sure that your vagina has healed thoroughly before using spermicide and having sex.Hormonal Methods
You cannot take a combination hormone treatment (one that has estrogen, or ethinyl estradiol, in it) if you are nursing. This means that you cannot take combination pills, you can’t wear the Patch, and you can’t use a Vaginal Ring. The estrogen will be found in your breastmilk and affect your baby, and will also affect your milk supply.
You can, however, use progestin-only methods of birth control. This includes progestin-only pills, which are sometimes called mini-pills, Depo-Provera, and Mirena, a hormonal IUD (intrauterine device). Many doctors claim that progestins are too large to pass into breastmilk and will not affect your baby.
Other doctors, however, are wary about using progestin-only birth control. Dr. Cindy McClain Pearman, a family practice physician from Knoxville, Tennessee, claims that “Mini-pills and Depo are not supposed to affect [milk] supply, but I have seen it happen often, especially with the mini-pill.”
If you feel uncertain about using hormonal birth control methods, you can always choose another form of birth control, be it abstinence, a barrier method, or a fertility awareness method.IUDs: IntraUterine Devices
You can use a copper IUD while you are nursing; it will not affect your breastmilk. An IUD is a device that is inserted by your doctor. It means that you won’t be able to conceive until you have it removed by a professional. Often, women who have just given birth report easier IUD insertions.Fertility Awareness Methods
You can choose to track your fertility after your baby is born. This cannot happen until you have your first period. To learn about tracking your fertility, you will need to speak to an expert: ask your doctor, or local clinic, or women’s group. You will have to abstain from sex on your unsafe days, or plan to use a back-up method.
Having just had a baby can be a magical (but tiring) experience. Family planning can benefit you, your partner, and your baby. Choose the option that seems right for you.

Is it Safe to Stop Period With Birth Control Pill, Lybrel?

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:51:01 +0000

My mother (and maybe yours too) still insists that women shouldn’t meddle with their menstrual periods. They think it’s somehow unnatural and therefore unhealthy and just, well… wrong. They fear that changing the natural cycle of menstruation could have unanticipated health repercussions, now or later in life.

That debate is bound to reopen with the introduction of Lybrel, a new prescription birth control pill that ends your period for as long as you take it.

Putting aside any moral arguments over right vs wrong, natural vs unnatural, let’s look at what the medical experts say about Lybrel healthwise.

Medical science has not reported any health risks associated with menstrual suppression, as it’s technically called. In fact, when Wyeth, the makers of Lybrel, commissioned a Gallup survey of health care professionals in 2006, here’s what they found:

“Approximately 97 percent of OB-GYNs thought it is safe to use oral contraceptives continuously, without a placebo phase, in the appropriate patient population. The survey polled 205 OB-GYNs and 200 nurse practitioners.”

For many years, some doctors in the know have advised their patients to use standard birth control pills continuously (without taking the 7 days off) as a way to suspend their periods to prevent painful cramps and PMS.

The FDA’s approval of Lybrel seems to sanction a practice that has already been going in the medical community in an off-label manner and permit the marketing of a product specifically intended for the purpose.

What’s Really Going On With Birth Control Pills

Here’s what happens when you take birth control pills the 21/7 way and the continuous way, as with Lybrel:

On the regular pill: You take hormone pills for 21 days and “rest” for 7 days by taking either a placebo or no pill at all. During this time, there may be bleeding but you don’t have a real period. It’s withdrawal bleeding that tends to be shorter and lighter than a normal period. That’s because the hormones in the birth control pill prevent the uterine lining from building up so there is less blood to be released.

On Lybrel: You finish the 28-day pack of active pills and immediately start a new one, without a rest cycle. Because your body is receiving a steady flow of hormones, it makes very little uterine lining so there is little or no bleeding. After some months of taking Lybrel, you will likely stop having periods altogether.

This is a great advantage to women who experience difficult menstrual periods with painful cramps and strong flow or women who suffer from severe PMS before their period.

Most medical experts agree that stopping your period with a safe, FDA-approved birth control pill poses no risk to appropriately prescribed patients. In fact, some say the only reason to opt for the 21/7 pills that require you to have a period is simply to reassure you that you aren’t pregnant.

Birth Control – a Natural Solution Without Pills – Condoms or Steralisation

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:31:13 +0000

If you are with a constant partner, and wish to have really satisfying sexual experiences, but not interested in the birth of a child, you must solve the dilemma of birth control here we will look at a NATURAL method.

Medical Birth Control

Medical birth control are the methods and devices (or medicines) employed to prevent pregnancy.

These are birth control pills (and patches, and injections), condoms, diaphragms, male and female sterilization, and abortive techniques (day after pills).

All of the above are effective, but also have real drawbacks to their use. Birth control medications have side effects, and some of them are quite unpleasant.

Condoms are effective, but reduce significantly the satisfying part of sexual relations.

Female uterine dams are a bit messy and reduce well the spontaneity of the sexual act.

The radical solutions like sterilization are also having great drawbacks in case of a change of mind or partners.

Natural Birth Control

There is a wonderful method, highly effective, of natural birth control which can indicate when the woman

partner is ovulating, and thus at risk. This is accomplished in two ways:

Learning Your Partner

Taking a daily temperature reading (from the vagina) daily for two months, tracking the results, can show when and how long the woman partner is ovulating.

This method is generally used for women who wish to become pregnant; indicating to them on which days there are mostly futile.

Learn about your partners body, and find out when she is ovulating. There are other indications, such as uterine pain in the middle of the menstrual cycle (which a German doctor termed, mittle schmertz.

This is also a very good indication of when the woman is ovulating.

Another interesting and almost unbelievable factor is that some women ovulate twice.

That is, if the full moon falls closely to her natural ovulating event, she can release another ovum. So, you must track also the cycles of the moon. Learning about your partner will have collateral benefits you will

reap later.

How to Use Natural Birth Control

Once you have discovered well about your partners menstrual events, you can then chart which days are acceptable for unprotected sexual union.

As a rule of thumb, you may have unprotected sexual union for at least 10 days leading to the ovulation event.

Then, using the above information, or even some ovulation tests one can buy at the pharmacy, you refrain from unprotected sexual union for one week three days prior to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and three days after ovulation.

Thereafter, you have another 10 to 12 days of free sexual activity.

he event of conception is not as easy as couples may think. The arrival of sperm to a released ovum has

The short window of about a day or two.

Thereafter, conception will not generally take place.

Some couples will practice unprotected sex during the one week conception segment of the menstrual process, but indeed with withdrawal at the moment of ejaculation.

This is highly ineffective and can and result in an unwanted pregnancy.

In this case, either abstinence during the one week danger period, or use of a condom is advised.

Birth control can be naturally practiced, and with some good common sense, some research into the woman partners conceptual time zones, can result in highly satisfying sexual relations.

Natural Birth Control Risks And Benefits

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:38:49 +0000

Today there is a lot of emphasis on fertility and how to improve a couple’s chances of conceiving a baby. But what about that percentage of the population that doesn’t want a child? Maybe you are a woman, who has tried things like The Pill (oral contraceptives), or barrier methods, or any number of contraceptives on the market and find that they do not agree with you or your lifestyle. Maybe you are a young couple that is not quite ready for having tubes tied or snipped because later on you might change your mind and want a child. It is a difficult decision to make, yet you are smart enough to know that a child at this point in your life is not the right thing to do.
Natural birth control might be an option, but remember, nothing is failsafe and you need to do your research and talk to professionals before you embark on this decision. Many natural ways of dealing with contraception are popular, and they do work, but they take a lot of time and vigilance to make them work the way they should. Unless you practice your method of choice consistently, chances are you will end up pregnant.
Ideally, natural methods of birth control are best undertaken by couples in long-term relationships and require the participation of both partners, and none of the techniques available offer protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Practicing natural birth control can have several benefits. To start with, women gain a better understanding of how their bodies work. You learn what your cycles are and why your body is doing certain things at certain times over the course of the month. Natural birth control has no side effects. You are not ingesting any medications that alter your body’s natural chemistry and forcing your body to do something against the grain.
These natural techniques are also inexpensive and don’t require a prescription month after month. Because both partners are involved in the process, the responsibility of natural birth control does not fall on one person or the other and can encourage bonding. Moreover, should you decide that you do want a child; you can use these methods to conceive.
Here are the most popular methods of natural birth control:
Standard Days Method (SDM): This method is fairly new and was developed by the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University School of Medicine. The concept is simple; keep track of how long your menstrual cycle is and then during your most fertile part of the month (which is days 8 – 19) you abstain from sex. This method when followed to the letter is 95% effective.
Ovulation Method: This concept revolves around the consistency of cervical mucus. Researchers have found that the cervix is also affected by monthly changes and will have little to no mucus at the end of a woman’s period. As the cycle begins again, the cervix will be preparing for the possibility of fertilization and become thicker. When the body nears ovulation, the cervical mucus becomes thinner and stickier until the time of ovulation. At this point, the mucus will be clear and slippery, creating an ideal environment for sperm. On its own, this method is not as reliable as other methods and a back up method (such as condoms or the sponge) is recommended.
Rhythm/Calendar Method: This particular method is probably the least reliable of the methods available for natural birth control. For a couple to use this, the woman has to count back 14 days from the first day of her period to figure out when she would have ovulated. The problem is, ovulation occurs at different times for each woman, not all women fall into a nice, neat category of 14 days, especially if a woman has irregular periods.
Sympto-thermal Method: For this method you are going to have to take your temperature each morning before you get out of bed. There will be no getting up and puttering around the house first (or anything else for that matter). Before you even throw back those covers, you have to take your temperature and start charting it. Your temperature will fluctuate each day, generally staying in the 97.2F to 97.4F range. What you are looking for is a sudden spike in those numbers, often a full degree above 98F. This rise in temperature will indicate ovulation. Used correctly, and perfectly, the Sympto-thermal method can be 99% accurate.
These are only a handful of methods available. Do your research and talk to your doctor to decide which one is best for you and your partner.

Best Birth Control Options

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:59:49 +0000

The birth control pill is a commonly known contraceptive. The controversies over the pill have been a major issue for the last 40 years. Birth control pills work by using estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones are synthetic versions of the female hormones that occur naturally. They prevent conception by preventing ovulation.
Taken daily as prescribed, birth control pills are said to be 98 percent to 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Some known side effects include blood clots, high blood pressure, liver tumors, increased risk of breast cancer, and an increased risk of cervical cancer. You should check with your doctor, and give him a complete family history if you decide to try these pills as a method of birth control. Having a family history of any of the above illnesses may be reason to look into other forms of contraceptives.
Barrier methods of birth control include the diaphragm, cervical cap, and condoms. These methods work by preventing sperm from entering the uterus. Although they don’t carry the same side effect risks as the pill, these methods must be used each time that you have sex, and so are considered to be less convenient. You must see your doctor to begin using a diaphragm or a cervical cap, and diaphragms have been known to cause urinary tract infections.
Along the same lines as the birth control pill is the birth control patch from Ortho Evra. This patch uses estrogen and progestin to prevent conception. You can apply it to either the buttocks, abdomen, upper torso, or your outer arm, and you wear a new patch each week for three weeks. During the 4th week of the cycle, you do not wear the patch, and you will start your period. Side effects of the birth control patch are much like those of the birth control pill. If you use either of these methods, it is recommended that you do not smoke, as this increases your risk for heart problems, blood clots, and certain cancers.
Another form that works much like the pill and the patch is the hormone shot. Depo-Provera and Lunelle are the brand names of the hormone shots used. These shots work like the pill, and have much the same side effects. Other side effects include headaches and risks of mood changes, period changes, and weight gain. The shots work for one or three months, depending on which one you choose.
Intrauterine Devices or IUDs are placed inside your uterus by a doctor, and is made of a flexible plastic. They seem to stop sperm from reaching the egg or they prevent the egg from attaching to the uterus. It is currently not known how the IUD prevents pregnancies. Side effects of the IUD include heavy bleeding and severe cramping during periods. IUDs are mostly used in women who have already had a baby.
Probably the safest form of birth control is abstinence. If you don’t plan to practice abstinence, and you are not ready to become pregnant, then you should discuss with your doctor the best form of birth control for your own unique situation.

Birth Control Pills For Acne Treatment

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:01:52 +0000

Other than specific acne treatment creams and gels, birth control pills can also be used to treat acne among women. In the early years, doctors were just conceptualizing the possibilities that oral contraceptives can be used to treat acne. These days however, there are already a great number of oral contraceptives that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as efficient acne treatment medications. These include Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Estrostep.Not as the first option
Although birth control pills can be used to treat acne, dermatologists point out that these contraceptives should not be used as the first line of defense against acne breakouts. Such are prescribed by physicians only after careful consideration of the woman’s reproductive capabilities and needs. In most cases, such is only recommended only after all the other topical and systemic medications for acne manifestations have been tried and tested. This can also be used if the woman with acne really wants to use birth control anyway.
According to experts, birth control pills should be used with other forms of acne treatment methods. The medications that are usually paired with oral contraceptives are topical retinoids and other forms of treatments that make use of benzoyl peroxide.How oral contraceptives work against acne
Most birth control pills contain certain amount of progestin and estrogen. These pills work by altering the natural hormonal patterns of females using the estrogen ingredient – ethinyl etradiol. They decrease the amount of testosterone in the body and prevent acne breakouts caused by hormonal imbalances. Once testosterone production is reduced, the skin’s oil glands also produce less amount of oil. As a result, plugging and clogging of the pores of the skin can be reduced, if not totally prevented.
Women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are more prone to acne breakouts. In these cases, birth control pills can be thoroughly effective in clearing the lesions and scars caused by the syndrome. Birth control pills which have progesterone ingredients can also reduce the breakout activity by decreasing the amount of androgen hormones in the bloodstream. Aside from clearing acne, oral contraceptives can also reduce the excessive hair growth caused by PCOS.
Birth control pills should be taken on a daily basis. During the first three weeks of the month, you should take the “active” pills. The placebo pills are then taken on the last week, during the time when menstruation occurs as well.Some possible side effects
The side effects of birth control pills may vary from one person to another. Others do not experience side effects while others may suffer from serious illnesses. Some patients report of nausea, weight gain, breast tenderness, menstrual spotting, and mood swings. A few studies also reported that oral contraceptives as acne treatment solutions can also cause blood clots, stroke, headaches, gallstones, increase in blood pressure, and depression.
Depending on the formulation and the ingredients of the pills, they can also cause an increase in the testosterone levels of the body. If this happens, the acne condition can eventually get worse. For best results, it will be best if you consult your doctor before taking any pill. Basically, there are many kinds of pills that you can use, depending on the cause and severity of your skin condition. The dermatologist knows which pill will be best for your acne problem.

Ways of Birth Control After Pregnancy

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 19:55:23 +0000

Practicing birth control immediately after your pregnancy period is a good idea if you want to lead a healthy life and have a happy family. It is important that you continue being on the alert once your pregnancy gets over. There are various ways of birth control to opt from but it is best to read journals, magazines, websites etc. and gather as much information as you can before you decide the method most effective for you.

It is normal for a woman to not feel sexually inclined soon after her pregnancy period. Nonetheless, the vagina heals within two weeks of giving birth putting you at the risk of becoming pregnant while still nursing. Beware of this when getting involved in sex after pregnancy. You must avoid getting pregnant at such an early stage which can be done by exercising birth control while breastfeeding. This method of birth control after pregnancy is called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) and is said to be helpful in postponing fertility simply by feeding your baby. Following are the conditions required for this method to work:

You have to feed your baby from both breasts every four hours during the day and every six hours during the night

You must not have had a period since your childs birth

You can use this method only for six months from your babys birth

There are other methods of controlling birth after pregnancy that you can choose from while you are still nursing. Two of them are:

Barrier Methods

IUDs: IntraUterine Devices

Barrier methods of birth control post pregnancy include condoms, female condoms, and sponges and help in making sex after pregnancy safe. Some are even spermicidal. Spermicidal methods should be used only when the vagina has healed completely. Prescription barrier methods like diaphragms, cervical caps, and shields require waiting for six to eight weeks after delivery. While using IUDs is a method of birth control while breastfeeding that will not have any change on your breast milk, thus neither on your infant. You cannot conceive as long as an IUD is inserted in you by a professional. Wearing a ring, using a patch and taking a combination of hormonal treatment are best avoided while you are in the process of feeding your baby.

Another method of birth control after pregnancy is to be aware of your menstrual cycle after pregnancy and refrain from sex on days that are unsafe. Once you have had your first period post delivery, you can keep a track of your fertility with the aid of a doctor and avoid sex on the days your body is more receptive to sperms.

The above mentioned methods are used before intercourse. But once you have had sex and a pregnancy kit tests you positive, you can turn to the Emergency Contraceptive pill for an urgent rescue! It can be used within 120 hours of intercourse but the sooner it is used, the better. Even if it does seem like the last resort, it is effective in birth control after pregnancy.

Learn How Effective The Birth Control Shot Is

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:45:38 +0000

Numerous individuals automatically believe that when people are married they will have the hope to start a family of their own. Only not every one is ready to do this. Having kids is a great obligation that not everyone is ready for. People who are not prepared will select a form of birth control to sheild themselves and ensure that their plan is set back until they are emotionally and financially able.The common method of birth control was once the pill. This was regarded as the most efficient besides the numerous side effects that most women hate to live with. Over the many years research in health has widened and there are several newer choices to choose from that are also effective if not better. A few of these newer methods of birth control is the birth control shot.The birth control shot is a form of progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that is produced by womans ovaries. The doctor will give the woman the shot through an injectionin the upper part of the arm or in one of the buttocks. It will be administered once every three months and will help to protect the woman from becoming pregnant.The progesterone within in the shot works to keep the woman from ovulating or putting out one of her eggs during her menstrual cycle. When a woman is not allowed to ovulate she has no way of fertilizing the egg because it is not there.This method of birth control is considered to be extremely effective. During the time span of one year less than three out of a hundred couples who used the birth control shot once every three months were able to get pregnant. That is because the risk of becoming pregnant will increase if you delay more than three months to obtain the shot. The risk of getting pregnant may also be established upon medical conditions, medications, and other factors that might bear upon the womans body.Like with any type of birth control there are particular side effects that woman should be made careful of. The most general birth control symptoms to remember is a switch during their menstrual cycle, weight gain, tender breasts, and depression. The FDA believes that woman who go on to take the birth control shot for several years may suffer from loss of bone density. This can be mended after they have finished using the shot.