Any method of contraception is intended to be used for one purpose: the prevention of pregnancy. For this reason, contraception is sometimes also referred to as “birth control”. There are a wide assortment of contraception devices, as well as choices in a method of contraception.
(For the purpose of this article, the word “devices” will be used to denote such things as pills, intrauterine devices-IUDs, condoms, or other things of that nature. “Method” will refer to a specific practice, such as abstinence, lactational amenorrhea, or the “rhythm” method.)
Devices for contraception include condoms and IUDs, mentioned earlier, as well as other devices such as a diaphragm. All of these are intended to block sperm from reaching the fallopian tubes where fertilization with an egg can occur. Pregnancy prevention thus occurs as a result of the lack of egg fertilization.
The use of internal and external devices is sometimes referred to as the barrier method of contraception. The use of pills containing certain female hormones, or the use of internal barrier devices that also contain a small amount of female hormone is considered the hormonal method of birth control.
Other types of contraception include behavioral, emergency, and sterilization. The behavioral method of birth control includes abstinence, lactation amenorrhea (that period of time in which a mother is nursing a baby and no period occurs), and rhythm.
The rhythm method is a process in which a couple refrains from intercourse during what is considered a woman’s most fertile time, if pregnancy prevention is the goal. On the other hand, if the occurrence of pregnancy is desired, then the couple has intercourse as often as possible during this fertile period.
Emergency contraception is sometimes referred to as the “morning after” method. In this instance, a woman who has had unprotected sex has approximately 72 hours in which to take a pill which contains a higher level of hormones than is commonly found in the average birth control. Taken during that 72-hour (plus or minus) time period, pregnancy prevention is possible.
Sterilization is a permanent form of contraception. This method of birth control should be chosen only if a woman is sure she does not want to have any more children, as reversal is rarely successful.
Choosing a method of birth control is as personal a choice as choosing with whom one wishes to have sex. No one can make that decision for a woman; she must consider all the evidence, and make her own decision.
Sun, Apr 25, 2010
Gender-Related, Health