SEX prevention
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Imagine that you're standing all alone on a football field. You can choose to stand anywhere you want to, but once you pick your spot, you can't move again.
Now imagine that, somewhere over by the entrance, about a million people are massed and waiting, about to be released onto the field. They're participating in a contest and the first one to touch you wins a brand new HDTV, a trip to Tahiti, and their very own pony. Granted, they're all blindfolded. But once they're free to run around the stadium's enclosed space, how long do you really think it will take for one of them—or 20 of them—to slam right into you?
That, in a nutshell, is sex—from the perspective of an egg. When you think about it that way, it's almost tempting to reverse the old adage about conception. Having a baby isn't a miracle: Preventing one is.
Without any means of contraception, the average sexually active woman of childbearing age would have an 80 percent chance of getting pregnant within a year. In most cases, those odds are going to catch up to you eventually. Luckily, we live in a time where women who don't want to have a baby have access to reliable means of contraception, many of which can be more than 90 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
On the other hand, we also live in a time where there are so many options that it's easy to end up overwhelmed. And that can lead to women making decisions that maybe aren't the best ones for them, simply because they don't have time to weed through all the information. If you've ever picked your contraceptive method because it was the only one you knew about or because that was what all your friends used, you may not be using the one thatÂ’s best for you. We're breaking down almost every form of birth control available, to help you understand what it does, how well it works, and who can benefit the most.
The Pill
What it does: The pill you're probably most familiar with is also called a “combination pill,” because it releases two different synthetic hormones into your body. Together, the artificial hormones work by preventing you from ovulating—releasing a mature egg cell from your ovaries. They have some other effects, as well, including thickening the mucus around your cervix, which makes it more difficult for sperm to actually get inside your uterus.
What it doesn't do: Protect you from sexually transmitted diseases. The pill also doesn't work 100 percent of the time. It's rare—the failure rate is lower than 2 percent if used correctly—but some women can and will get pregnant, even if they're following instructions to the letter. On the plus side, getting pregnant while on the pill isn't harmful to you or the fetus.
How to get it: You need a prescription. However, you don't need a parent's permission. Although most medical professionals encourage underage patients to talk to their parents about health choices, there are no state or federal laws requiring it. According to a 2005 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 60 percent of teenagers who visited a family planning clinic say their parents knew about the visit.
Is it reversible? Yes. Your body begins to return to normal hormone levels (and with that, normal ovulation) after a couple of days off the pill. Once you stop taking it, your chances of getting pregnant become about the same as a woman who's never used hormonal contraception.
Side effects: The most common are breast tenderness, nausea, weight gain, mild headaches, and changes to mood or sex drive. For most women, these disappear after the first three months. If they don't, you and your doctor may be able to manage them by switching to a pill with a different types or amounts of hormones.
Who can benefit the most: Women who tend to be detail-oriented. In order to use the pill correctly and keep your risk of pregnancy at a minimum, you need to know and follow its use instructions pretty closely. That usually means taking the pill at the same time every day, knowing exactly what you're supposed to do if you miss a pill or two, and following lifestyle recommendations like not smoking (mixing cigarettes and the pill greatly increases your risk of heart attack).
Who should consider a different method: Smokers, definitely. Also: women who struggle with certain mental illnesses like depression or alcoholism, and women who have to use specific antibiotics or other prescriptions.
If you're over the age of 35, you should also check with your doctor to make sure that you don't have any of the health complications that can make the pill less effective and more dangerous. Most older women can continue using the pill without problems, but if you are diabetic or obese, for instance, the pill might not be for you.
You might not know: Combination pills can differ a lot from one brand to another. For instance, Yasmin—one of the newer pills on the market—is the only one that uses a specific type of progestin called Drospirenone. This new progestin has been shown to work better for some women who have unacceptable side effects while using other pills. On the downside, though, Drospirenone can also cause potassium to build up in your bloodstream, leading to possible complications in women with a history of jaundice and kidney or liver diseases. -
The Mini-Pill
What it does: The mini-pill is “mini” because it contains only progestins, as opposed to the combined pill that adds synthetic estrogen as well. Because of this, mini-pills work in a slightly different way. They put a damper on ovulation, but only in about half the women who take them. Instead, most mini-pill users stay childless because the pill builds up and thickens the mucus on their cervixes, making it difficult for sperm to get anywhere near the egg. In addition, mini-pills can also change the lining of the uterus so that eggs can't attach themselves. It might have an effect on the fallopian tubes as well, making eggs move slower on their way to the uterus.
What it doesn't do: STD prevention. Remember, we're talking about a hormonally based suppressant of the reproductive system functioning—not a physical barrier that prevents fluid and sperm from touching you. Without a barrier, you have no way to lower your risk of diseases like HIV, chlamydia or herpes.
How to get it: Prescription. Remember, as with most other prescribed contraception methods, your health care provider will probably require you to come in once a year for a routine pap smear and pelvic examination in order to get the prescription renewed.
Is it reversible? Very much so. Because it doesn't always affect the process of ovulation, the contraceptive effect of the mini-pill begins to wear off as soon as the hormone levels drop low enough for the cervical mucus to return to normal. This starts happening in as soon as 24 hours. If you stop taking mini-pills, you can be back into baby-making mode in a day or so.
Side effects: Mini-pill users often report problems with irregular periods or so-called “breakthrough bleeding” that happens when they shouldn't be on their period at all.
Who might benefit most: Women who can't handle the estrogen in the combination pill. This includes nursing mothers (estrogen can inhibit milk production; mini-pills don't), smokers (without estrogen, the risk of heart attack and stroke are much lower), and women who suffer from sickle-cell anemia (again, no estrogen means a lower risk of blood clots).
Who should consider a different method: Anyone who can't keep to an extremely tight schedule. Don't kid around with this one. If you aren't the well-organized type, mini-pills may not be for you. The effects of these pills wear off faster than those of combined pills, making it vitally important the mini-pill is taken same time, every day. Plus, because the mucus barrier it produces on your cervix reaches its peak about four hours after you take the pill, it's also important that you pick a daily pill-taking time that's roughly four to five hours from when you're most likely to be having sex. Popping a pill right before sex is probably unwise, unless you're using a second back-up birth control.
Injections & Implants
What it does: Like the mini-pill, both injections and implants contain only progestins—and no synthetic estrogen. Because of this, they have slightly different effects than the more common combination pill, which primarily works by stopping ovulation. Instead, injections and implants thicken the mucus that covers your cervix. This forms a protective barrier that sperm can't penetrate easily. At the same time, the progestins will also stop ovulation for some women. It can also change the makeup of the lining of your uterus, making it difficult for eggs cells to find a place to stick.
So why not just take the mini-pill? Frankly, injections and implants are less of a hassle to take correctly—and because of that, they have higher rates of effectiveness. Unlike the pill, where there is a possibility for human error every day, injections and implants only require you to show up at the right time at your doctor's office or clinic. Otherwise, what you do has no effect on how well they work. In most cases, both implants and injections are more than 99 percent effective.
What it doesn't do: As with all hormonal methods, there's no inherent protection against STDs. Implants and injections also can't be switched on and off easily. In the case of injections, you have to wait for the hormones to slowly leave your system before you become fertile again. If you change your mind on implants, you have to undergo a minor surgical procedure.
How to get it: Prescription only. In fact, these types of birth control can only be administered by a trained professional. The most common injection is called Depo-Provera, and must be taken every three months. An implant called Implanon, which was approved by the FDA in July 2006, can be used for up to three yearsat a time.
Is it reversible? Yes. But again, switching gears isn't as simple as stopping a pill. In the case of injections like Depo-Provera, it might take six months or more before you return to normal fertility. You can get pregnant very quickly after removing Implanon, but it must be removed by a medical professional. If you happen to get pregnant while on Depo-Provera, it's likely that your baby will experience low birth weight. However, there is no evidence of any long-term problems.
Side effects: Weight gain and acne are common, as are irregular periods—particularly during the first year of use. In addition, research shows a link between Depo-Provera use and loss of bone mineral density. Research also suggests a possible increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections. To see if you're comfortable with the side effects before you commit to the long haul, have your doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant prescribe a pill that uses the same type of progestin for a couple of months.
Who might benefit most: Women who don't want to bother with taking a pill every day, particularly if they know they don't want to become pregnant for a long time (if ever), but aren't interested in sterilization. The injection can also be extremely helpful for women who, for whatever reason, are concerned about their privacy. ItÂ’s the only type of birth control that exhibits no indication of use. There's nothing to feel under your skin and no external pills or devices to find.
Who should consider a different method: Women who aren't comfortable with irregular and/or nonexistent periods. If you have personal or cultural feelings favoring monthly, predictable periods, this may not be the method for you.
You might not know: Implants and injections are effective for women of all sizes. Earlier implant methods, which used a different type of casing, tended to be less effective in larger users. Those problems have been fixed in this newer generation. -
IUD
What it does: Intrauterine devices are very small objects, made today from plastic or plastic wrapped with copper wire, that are inserted into your uterus. Once there, they prevent pregnancy, most likely by changing the chemical makeup of the fluid in your uterus and fallopian tubes. Small changes in that fluid can severely impact sperm's fertility and its ability to swim. These changes can also make it difficult for eggs to properly move as well. It's also possible that IUDs prevent fertilized eggs from sticking to the uterine walls, but this hasn't been proven.
The basic concept of an IUD is probably one of the oldest forms of birth control in the world, dating back to ancient times in the Arabian Peninsula, where traders first discovered that they could keep camels from breeding on long trips by inserting small pebbles into the camel's uterus. Over the years, IUDs have come in a wide variety of shapes. Today, both kinds available in the U.S. are T-shaped. Of these, the Mirena IUD contains a progestin that releases slowly over the course of a year and it must be replaced after the year is up. The Paragard IUD, on the other hand, contains no hormones; it has a thin copper wire wrapped around its ends. Instead, it has thin copper wire wrapped around its ends; the metal has been shown to increase the effectiveness of the IUD by further changing the fluid chemistry. This IUD can be left in for up to 10 years.
What it doesn't do: Protect against STDs. In fact, if you do contract an STD, wearing an IUD can make it more likely that the infection will travel to your fallopian tubes and ovaries, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease. PID can potentially make you infertile—and, until the later stages, it has no symptoms. It's incredibly important that IUD users either maintain a monogamous relationship or use condoms as backup.
How to get it: IUDs must be prescribed and inserted by a professional.
Is it reversible? Yes. As soon as an IUD is removed (or, occasionally, naturally expelled by your uterus) you can get pregnant at any time.
Side effects: Far fewer than hormonal birth control methods. Even the Mirena, which does release a progestin, has fewer complications because the dosage is much, much lower. During the first few months of use, some women experience heavier periods and cramping.
Who might benefit most: Women who want reliable, long-term protection against pregnancy. IUD is frequently used as a less-invasive substitute for sterilization. The risk of pregnancy is less than 1 percent. The Paragard can also be extremely useful for women who dislike the side effects of hormonal methods or who should not use those methods for health reasons.
Who should consider a different method: It's not an immediate reason to switch to a different method, but if you have an infection in your vagina or cervical canal, you will have to wait until that's healed before you can get an IUD put in. If an IUD is inserted while an infection is present, the infection can end up being introduced into the uterus and can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Women who have incurable STDs are entirely ruled out as candidates for the same reason.
If you have more than one sexual partner or your partner sleeps with other people, IUDs may not be an ideal choice simply because of the increased risk of PID. In addition, women with copper allergies or a rare disorder called Wilson's disease shouldn't use the Paragard, as the copper can cause a negative reaction.
Patch and Ring
What it does: Both the ring and the patch function about the same as a regular combination pill form of birth control. They both carry synthetic estrogen and a progestin and keep you from getting pregnant by preventing ovulation and, to a lesser extent, thickening the mucus on you cervix to prevent sperm from getting to your uterus at all. The main difference in these two relatively recent options lies in the delivery system. Instead of a daily pill, patch and ring users have a weekly or monthly regimen. For the patch, a new one must be applied to one of several specific areas of the body once a week, for three weeks. In the case of the ring, one ring is inserted each month and left in for three weeks, then taken out. Both forms have a break week during which the user gets her period.
Researchers have been studying and testing patches and rings for many years. In the case of the ring, the studies date back as far as the 1970s. But these methods only became available to the public in the last seven years. Currently, only one brand of each is available. The patch is known as Ortho-Evra and the ring is called NuvaRing.
What it doesn't do: Protect against STDs. If you or your partner have multiple partners you'll need backup protection, like a condom.
How to get it: Both are available by prescription. You do not need a health professional to insert the ring or to fit it to your body. One size fits all, and it can be easily popped in and out at home.
Is it reversible? Yes, fertility begins to return at about the same speed as with the combination pill.
Side effects: Again, similar to combination pill. Some women experience breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, or mood swings. With the patch, it's possible that you may experience an itchy, red rash at the spot where you apply it. To avoid this, some users place their weekly patches in different spots over the course of a month.
Who might benefit most: Women who prefer a hormonal method or a method that can be easily and quickly stopped, but who don't want to deal with the daily regimen of the pill or mini-pill. The patch and the ring have not yet been extensively studied for effectiveness, but there is some evidence to suggest that they may have slightly lower failure rates than the pill—on the order of about 1 percent.
Who should consider a different method: Smokers—as as with the pill, smoking can increase your risk of dangerous cardiovascular side effects, particularly if you're also over the age of 35—and women taking certain medications that can decrease the effectiveness of the hormones, particularly St. John's Wort, certain classes of antibiotics and antifungals, and anti-seizure drugs.
You might not know: You don't take the ring out during sex. For the most part, your pelvic muscles keep the ring in place and, usually, your partner can't feel it during vaginal intercourse. If the ring does happen to fall out during sex, you should wash it and re-insert it within three hours. If you leave the ring out longer than that, you run the risk of hormone levels reverting to normal enough that you can ovulate—and possibly become pregnant -
IUD
What it does: Intrauterine devices are very small objects, made today from plastic or plastic wrapped with copper wire, that are inserted into your uterus. Once there, they prevent pregnancy, most likely by changing the chemical makeup of the fluid in your uterus and fallopian tubes. Small changes in that fluid can severely impact sperm's fertility and its ability to swim. These changes can also make it difficult for eggs to properly move as well. It's also possible that IUDs prevent fertilized eggs from sticking to the uterine walls, but this hasn't been proven.
The basic concept of an IUD is probably one of the oldest forms of birth control in the world, dating back to ancient times in the Arabian Peninsula, where traders first discovered that they could keep camels from breeding on long trips by inserting small pebbles into the camel's uterus. Over the years, IUDs have come in a wide variety of shapes. Today, both kinds available in the U.S. are T-shaped. Of these, the Mirena IUD contains a progestin that releases slowly over the course of a year and it must be replaced after the year is up. The Paragard IUD, on the other hand, contains no hormones; it has a thin copper wire wrapped around its ends. Instead, it has thin copper wire wrapped around its ends; the metal has been shown to increase the effectiveness of the IUD by further changing the fluid chemistry. This IUD can be left in for up to 10 years.
What it doesn't do: Protect against STDs. In fact, if you do contract an STD, wearing an IUD can make it more likely that the infection will travel to your fallopian tubes and ovaries, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease. PID can potentially make you infertile—and, until the later stages, it has no symptoms. It's incredibly important that IUD users either maintain a monogamous relationship or use condoms as backup.
How to get it: IUDs must be prescribed and inserted by a professional.
Is it reversible? Yes. As soon as an IUD is removed (or, occasionally, naturally expelled by your uterus) you can get pregnant at any time.
Side effects: Far fewer than hormonal birth control methods. Even the Mirena, which does release a progestin, has fewer complications because the dosage is much, much lower. During the first few months of use, some women experience heavier periods and cramping.
Who might benefit most: Women who want reliable, long-term protection against pregnancy. IUD is frequently used as a less-invasive substitute for sterilization. The risk of pregnancy is less than 1 percent. The Paragard can also be extremely useful for women who dislike the side effects of hormonal methods or who should not use those methods for health reasons.
Who should consider a different method: It's not an immediate reason to switch to a different method, but if you have an infection in your vagina or cervical canal, you will have to wait until that's healed before you can get an IUD put in. If an IUD is inserted while an infection is present, the infection can end up being introduced into the uterus and can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Women who have incurable STDs are entirely ruled out as candidates for the same reason.
If you have more than one sexual partner or your partner sleeps with other people, IUDs may not be an ideal choice simply because of the increased risk of PID. In addition, women with copper allergies or a rare disorder called Wilson's disease shouldn't use the Paragard, as the copper can cause a negative reaction.
Patch and Ring
What it does: Both the ring and the patch function about the same as a regular combination pill form of birth control. They both carry synthetic estrogen and a progestin and keep you from getting pregnant by preventing ovulation and, to a lesser extent, thickening the mucus on you cervix to prevent sperm from getting to your uterus at all. The main difference in these two relatively recent options lies in the delivery system. Instead of a daily pill, patch and ring users have a weekly or monthly regimen. For the patch, a new one must be applied to one of several specific areas of the body once a week, for three weeks. In the case of the ring, one ring is inserted each month and left in for three weeks, then taken out. Both forms have a break week during which the user gets her period.
Researchers have been studying and testing patches and rings for many years. In the case of the ring, the studies date back as far as the 1970s. But these methods only became available to the public in the last seven years. Currently, only one brand of each is available. The patch is known as Ortho-Evra and the ring is called NuvaRing.
What it doesn't do: Protect against STDs. If you or your partner have multiple partners you'll need backup protection, like a condom.
How to get it: Both are available by prescription. You do not need a health professional to insert the ring or to fit it to your body. One size fits all, and it can be easily popped in and out at home.
Is it reversible? Yes, fertility begins to return at about the same speed as with the combination pill.
Side effects: Again, similar to combination pill. Some women experience breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, or mood swings. With the patch, it's possible that you may experience an itchy, red rash at the spot where you apply it. To avoid this, some users place their weekly patches in different spots over the course of a month.
Who might benefit most: Women who prefer a hormonal method or a method that can be easily and quickly stopped, but who don't want to deal with the daily regimen of the pill or mini-pill. The patch and the ring have not yet been extensively studied for effectiveness, but there is some evidence to suggest that they may have slightly lower failure rates than the pill—on the order of about 1 percent.
Who should consider a different method: Smokers—as as with the pill, smoking can increase your risk of dangerous cardiovascular side effects, particularly if you're also over the age of 35—and women taking certain medications that can decrease the effectiveness of the hormones, particularly St. John's Wort, certain classes of antibiotics and antifungals, and anti-seizure drugs.
You might not know: You don't take the ring out during sex. For the most part, your pelvic muscles keep the ring in place and, usually, your partner can't feel it during vaginal intercourse. If the ring does happen to fall out during sex, you should wash it and re-insert it within three hours. If you leave the ring out longer than that, you run the risk of hormone levels reverting to normal enough that you can ovulate—and possibly become pregnant -
where did u copy that from
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Male and Female Condoms
What it does: Physically blocks contact between the vagina and the penis, essentially stopping sperm and disease-carrying liquids in their tracks. Along with IUDs, condoms are one of the oldest contraceptive devices known to man. Prior to the 20th century, they were often made from the intestines of sheep or lambs and could be washed and re-used. Today, most condoms are made from latex and need to be thrown out after a single use.
The female condom, on the other hand, is quite new and intimidating to some people. Instead of sliding over the man's penis, the female condom fits inside of you, almost like a pouch or a pocket. Made of polyurethane, it's stronger than latex condoms but also transfers heat better, meaning that both partners can often feel more sensation with the female condom than with the male. You can insert the female condom up to a couple of hours before sex as the two flexible rings, one in the closed end that is held against your cervix and one in the open end that covers part of your outer vaginal lips, keep it securely in place.
Both female condoms and male condoms made from latex or polyurethane protect against STDs, including the smallest viruses like hepatitis B that can sneak through some barriers. Male condoms made from natural lambskin, on the other hand, should only be used for preventing pregnancy. Their pores are too large to block out viruses.
What it doesn't do: It wonÂ’t work if you don't use it. Probably the most common reason for condom failure is couples opting to not use the barrier every time or waiting to put it on until after they've already come into contact with each other's fluids. With typical use, which includes occasional slip-ups like this, the failure rate for condoms alone is between 12 percent and 15 percent. If you follow the instructions to the letter and pair condoms with spermicide, however, that rate can be reduced to as little as 2 percent to 3 percent.
How to get it: Walk down to your local pharmacy, grocery, or big box store. It's that simple. Condoms are available over the counter, and in most places you can waltz right in and pick up a box from the shelf without needing a clerkÂ’s assistance.
Is it reversible? Very much so. The second you take a condom off, you can get pregnant again.
Side effects: None, unless you happen to have a latex allergy. In addition, some people say they don't like the condom because it decreases sensation. If it's not lubricated well enough, the female condom can also make a lot of distracting noise during sex.
Who might benefit most: Anyone who wants to prevent the transmission of STDs. Remember, other birth control methods won't do this. So if you're not absolutely sure about your health and that of your partner (and by this we mean, if you've not both been tested for the full gamut of STDs), using a condom—even if you're already using a different method of birth control—is only common sense.
Who should consider a different method: People with latex allergies used to have few options when it came to condom use. Today, though, polyurethane condoms are widely available. They're every bit as effective as latex, though they are a bit more expensive.
Fertility Awareness
What it does: Turns out, the name is pretty descriptive of what's going on. Women who practice fertility awareness use one (or more) methods of tracking their menstrual cycles, in order to figure out which days they are most likely to be fertile. There are several ways to do this. One of the most famous is the calendar rhythm method: A woman tracks the beginning and end of her period for at least eight months and then uses that information (and a little math) to get an estimate of which days she's most likely ovulating. Other methods may track basal body temperature, which changes minutely in the days before and after ovulation, and cervical mucus, which changes type and thickness with the onset of fertility. Women who combine several of these methods are more likely to be successful at remaining childless.
Once you know which days you're likely to be infertile, you simply save vaginal sex for those days, substituting abstinence, sex with a condom, or your preferred non-vaginal sex act during the rest of the month.
What it doesn't do: Protect you against sexually transmitted diseases. If you decide to use the fertility awareness method it is incredibly important that you and your partner be monogamous. Besides the lack of protection against disease, it seems that committed, monogamous couples are most likely to practice fertility awareness accurately and consistently.
It's also important to note that, unlike most other contraception methods, fertility awareness is quite cheap and can be practiced without buying any specialized tools or paying a monthly fee.
How to get it: Unlike most methods of contraception, fertility awareness requires some serious training if you're going to do it right. You can get the information from a book, but it's often helpful to have a trained counselor who you can contact if you have questions or if you're confused about something that's going on with your body.
Ask your medical professional where you can go to get training in fertility awareness locally. One good source for this is the Roman Catholic Church. Officially, fertility awareness is the church's only approved form of birth control, so Catholic family counselors tend to be pretty well-versed in the methods and potential problems that may arise. They're also likely to offer classes, which you usually can take no matter what religion (or lack thereof) you happen to practice.
Getting training is extremely important as it can mean the difference between a perfect-use failure rate of about 8 percent and a typical or imperfect-use failure rate of anywhere from 20 percent to 40 percent. Bottom line, if you want fertility awareness to work, you'll need to know what you're doing.
Is it reversible? Very much so. In fact, it might even help you get pregnant as, by the time you're ready for that step, you'll have pretty much figured out what your fertile days are and can simply flip your unprotected sex days to fit your new goal.
Side effects: None
Who might benefit most: Couples who have ruled out hormonal and barrier methods for religious, health, or other personal reasons.
Who should consider a different method: Couples who don't want to follow a regimen that requires organizational skills, careful planning, reliable documentation of menstrual patterns, and adherence to strict rules about when sex is OK and when it must be avoided.
Diaphragm & Cervical Cap
What it does: Both diaphragms and cervical caps function as physical barriers, which block sperm from entering the uterus. They also serve as a handy way to hold spermicidal cream or foam against the cervix, providing further protection against sperm. Prior to the 1960s, diaphragms were one of the most popular of all contraceptive devices. Over the years, they've been eclipsed by oral contraceptives and, to a lesser extent, IUDs.
Although it's pretty simple to understand how diaphragms and cervical caps work, using them can be a bit more difficult. Diaphragms are held in place by springs and cervical caps by suction. To get them into position, you need to carefully maneuver them onto your own vagina and set them against your cervix. That takes training. And it takes a diaphragm or cervical cap that has been fitted to your biological proportions. Once you know how to use it, the barriers can be inserted several hours before sex and must be left in for at least six hours afterwards--but should be left in for no longer than 24 hours total.
What it doesn't do: Protect you against all STDs. There is, however, some evidence that it may protect you against some minor STDs, including bacterial vaginosis.
How to get it: You'll definitely need a medical practitioner for this one. Your provider will be able to help you pick the type of diaphragm or cervical cap that is right for you, aid you in finding a size that fits your unique cervical proportions, and show you how to find your cervix with your fingers and put the barrier in place and remove it properly. This training is vital. With perfect use (and particularly in conjunction with condoms) diaphragms and cervical caps have a failure rate of less than 9 percent. Without perfect use, though, that number climbs. Typical use failure rates can range as high as 30 percent.
Is it reversible? Yes, simply have sex without it and fertility returns.
Side effects: Very few. The most concerning issue is a small risk of toxic shock syndrome if the barrier is left in place for longer than 24 hours.
Who might benefit most: Women who aren't comfortable with hormonal methods and who don't mind using a birth control method that requires them to plan ahead each time they intend to have sex.
Who should consider a different method: Women who aren't comfortable being intimately familiar with their insides and with spermicide; one of the complaints about these methods is that they are messy. Another problem is that many women consider the process involved in using a diaphragm or cervical cap to be a huge inconvenience. That tends to lead to non-perfect use and higher failure rates. -
source... msn.com...
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spammerOriginally posted by yiha093:source... msn.com... -
this thread is good for those suffering insomnia.
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you are too bored -
Originally posted by Cool-gal:this thread is good for those suffering insomnia.
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haiyoh so long. can someone summarise?
i is go have sex now lah ah. l8r come back.
in a hurry, byebye.
what is the topic title come again? -
wah nice article..
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x2Originally posted by Cool-gal:this thread is good for those suffering insomnia. -
thks for the info
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welcomeOriginally posted by de_middle:thks for the info -
THANKS FOR THE INFO, C N P FROM WHERE HUH
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so long.
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by the time someone read all this ...they alrdy lost their virginity liao
but nice effort
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Castration for males... Simple.
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Can summerize in less than 10 words anot?
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now i noe my options......
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things to prevent fert and wad are the effectsOriginally posted by Darkness_hacker99:Can summerize in less than 10 words anot?
9 words