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If a woman is active sexually and she is fertile (able to become pregnant) she needs to ask herself, "Do I want to become pregnant now?" If the answer is "No," she must use some form of contraception (birth control). There are number of different terms used to describe birth control--contraception, pregnancy prevention, family planning, and fertility contro. No matter what the process is called, sexually active people have a wide variety of methods which may be used to reduce the possibility of pregnancy. The government estimates that there are 3.6 million unplanned pregnancies each year in the United States. Approximately half of these pregnancies occured because the couple did not use any birth control, and the other half happened because the couple used birth control incorrectly. Welcome to BirthControlHelp.com a site dedicated to providing accurate, easy-to-use information and resources about all aspects of birth control.
To makes things relatively simple, all methods of birth control are based on either preventing a man's sperm from reaching the woman's egg (fertilization) or by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the woman's uterus and beginning to grow. Birth control methods can be either reversible or permanent. Reversible contraception is a term used to describe birth control that does not permanently alter or prevent pregnancy. There is no long-term effect on fertility (the ability to become pregnant). Permanent birth control, as the name implies, usually means the method can not be undone or reversed. Examples of permanent methods are a tubal ligation for the woman and a vasectomy for the man. Surgery is involved in both methods and fertility is nearly always reduced to zero.
Birth control methods can also be classified as to how fertility is reduced. There are behavioral methods, barrier methods, mechanical methods hormonal methods, and emergency contraception. Behavioral methods require no use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. One behavioral method--abstinence--requires strong self-discipline. It means refraining from all sexual relations, oral and anal sex as well as intercourse. Another behavioral method--periodic abstinence (sometimes called fertility awareness)--relies on physical signs within a woman related to her hormonal changes to prevent pregnancy. A woman avoids intercourse on those days on which she is most fertile.
Barrier methods provide a physical barrier between the sperm and the egg. These methods are most successful when used during each sexual encounter and include: male condoms, female condoms, diaphragms and cervical caps and a contraceptive sponge. Since most barrier methods are available over the counter at many stores, they are easy to purchase and relatively inexpensive. When properly used they are quite efficient in preventing an unwanted pregnancy.
Mechanical methods, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) are 99% effective at preventing pregnancies and can last for up to a dozen years. It is a small object that is inserted through the cervix and placed in the uterus during a visit to a doctor's office or clinic. An IUD may be removed at any time and the procedure is quicker and easier than the insertion. Fertility is usually restored quite quickly once the IUD has been removed.
Hormonal birth control methods use female hormones to prevent ovulation (egg production) or to thicken the natural mucus inside the cervix making it difficult for the sperm to travel through the cervical canal to reach the uterus. Such methods include--The Pill, the skin patch, injectable
hormones, vaginal rings, and implants (like Norplant).
Emergency Contraception is birth control that is given shortly after, rather than before, sexual intercourse. It is used when other forms of birth control were not used, used improperly, or used correctly but failed (broken condom), and a pregnancy is not wanted. Mistakely referred to as the "Morning After Pill," it is not the same as an abortion pill used in Europe. It is actually a series of two pills taken 12 hours apart and within 72 hours of sexual activity.
By carefully and methodically scouring the Internet we have discovered reliable and valuable information, and uncovered countless free resources devoted to the topic of birth control. For answers to your questions, help in finding the birth control method that is best for you, and much, much more please take a few minutes to browse our site.
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