By Mindalynn Frelick, General Member
Did you know that World Contraception Day is September 26th? Many forms of contraception exist on the market that some people may not even know about. You can get hormonal, non-hormonal, and even barrier methods. The wide variety can cause confusion, so let’s discuss it!
Hormonal methods come in various forms and provide varying degrees of protection. There is the wildly popular birth control pill. Combination pills contain estrogen and progestin, and the mini pill includes progestin. The pill must be taken simultaneously every day to maintain peak effectiveness. The patch also releases estrogen and progestin transdermally (through the skin) throughout the week. The patch is applied weekly to the outer arm, backside, or belly, but cannot be placed on the breasts. This method releases estrogen faster than the pill so it can cause worse side effects.
The vaginal ring also contains estrogen and progestin and works by slowly releasing the hormones directly through the vaginal wall. The ring is placed around the cervix for three weeks and then removed for seven days. It must be put back in place after precisely seven days for peak effectiveness. This method usually has fewer side effects than the pill. IUDs, also known as contraceptive coils, can be placed by a healthcare provider and remain effective for 3-5 years. They stop the lining in the uterus from building and thicken the cervical mucus to prevent sperm cells from reaching the egg. The egg also cannot implant due to lack of lining.
A hormonal injection is also effective for three months at a time. This method is effective but has harsh side effects. The hormone levels are so high that the side effects are much worse than with the pill's low dose. The final hormonal method I will be discussing is the implant. This method uses a small, pill-shaped device implanted under the arm's skin every three years. A healthcare provider places this. This method is invasive, and the insertion causes discomfort, so it is not generally recommended often.
Non-hormonal methods can be permanent or temporary as well. Female and male (sex) sterilization are two permanent methods that damage the anatomy that makes reproduction possible. In tubal ligation, the fallopian tubes are disconnected so that eggs can no longer reach the uterus for fertilization. A vasectomy is similar because the vas deferens tube is ligated (severed or sutured) so that sperm cells are no longer among the semen that is ejaculated. This means that the egg cannot be fertilized because there is no sperm to fertilize them. Another non-hormonal method is the copper IUD, which lasts five to ten years. This method works by causing swelling of the tissues in the uterus, damaging the mobility of the sperm cells. This method can be used as emergency contraception because of the inflammatory response, stopping implantation.
Chemical methods such as spermicide, which damages the midsection of sperm cells, causes immobility and death of said cells, and contraceptive gel, which affects vaginal pH and kills sperm cells due to increased acidity, are less effective. When combined with barrier methods, their effectiveness goes up, but user error is standard and can cause the significance to be drastically reduced.
Barrier methods such as condoms, sponges, cervical caps, and diaphragms are the only methods used to prevent STIs and pregnancy. These methods are prone to user error and work best when combined with other methods.
Contraceptives can be intimidating, especially with the long lists of warnings and side effects accompanying some methods. Still, they are very effective pregnancy prevention methods with proper use and planning. It is essential to talk to your doctor to find the best method for experimenting with contraceptives because sometimes the first thing you try doesn’t agree with your system.