World Contraception Day

Birth control methods

World Contraception Day: is celebrated across the globe every September 26. This worldwide campaign was launched in 2007 with the mission of raising awareness about contraception, so that all young people can make informed sexual and reproductive decisions.

This year's World Contraception Day motto is, "Your Future. Your Choice. Your Contraception."

Male birth control: Some women complain that men should take the lead in protecting their partners from pregnancy.  While in a perfect world there would be an effective Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) for men I think we need to focus on protecting ourselves from pregnancy by using an effective method of contraception that we control because we are the ones who become preggers and terminate or carry to term. So we have a much larger stake in protecting ourselves from pregnancy. STIs are an entirely different matter and all partners should be tested and free of STIs or condoms should be used.

Some contraceptive methods currently available:

Hormonal contraceptives:

Combined (estrogen/progestin pills
Mini-pills progestin only pills or POPs
Vaginal ring – NuvaRing
The patch – Ortho Evra
The implant – Nexplanon
The shot - Depo-subQ Provera 104 (a newer less painful shot)
Hormonal IUDs – Mirena / Skyla

Copper IUDs:

Copper 380T – ParaGard and similar designs
GyneFix frameless copper IUD

Cervical barriers, condoms etc:

Ortho All-Flex silicone Arching spring diaphragm
Milex wide seal silicone Arcing spring diaphragm
Milex Omniflex silicone coil spring diaphragm
Reflexions latex flat spring diaphragm
FemCap silicone cervical cap
Male condoms latex & polyurethane
FC2 nitrile female condom
Today sponge

Fertility awareness:

FAM Fertility Awareness Method Symptothermal (using a barrier when fertile)
NFP - Natural Family Planning (abstaining while fertile)

Other:

Cycle beads –Standard days method / Rhythm method
Russian roulette – Withdrawal (Pull and Pray)

 

Fertility Awareness Method of contraception

Every woman should read this book

Fertility Awareness Method (FAM): On my August 6, 2010 post ‘Teens, rhythm and pregnancy’ Eric asked a question about the difference between FAM and the Rhythm Method. Since the two are often confused I thought I’d explain a bit about FAM which is far more reliable than the Rhythm Method if practiced correctly, and post it in an entry where more readers, who might be interested, can read it. An excellent book on FAM is Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It’s easy to understand and a very empowering read. I highly recommend every woman reading it regardless of whether she plans on using FAM or not as it gives you an understanding of what’s happening in your body all through your cycle. And guys, it’s worth you reading it too if you are interested in what’s going on in a woman’s body and why we may be cranky at times during our cycles. FAM is super for when you are trying to conceive, because you can tell exactly when you ovulate so you know the best time to go baby dancing. However, what my circle generally uses FAM for is as an aid for contraception and the discussion below is from that viewpoint.

First a caution: Used for contraception FAM is unforgiving of Oopses and just-this-once events like “Just let me stick the red part in for a minute” That’s against the rules when the woman is fertile! Ok?

To use FAM fully (including taking basal body temp) takes discipline and a stable schedule, because the temp readings should be taken at the same time each morning, immediately after awakening after more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. The temps are recorded so the woman can see her temp shift at ovulation. So for any woman with an erratic schedule the temp part is questionable. If you are using FAM for birth control the temperature shift upward by a few tenths of a degree at ovulation is a sort of after-the-fact measurement that tells you when you’ve ovulated. About two weeks later, if you haven’t become pregnant, your progesterone level drops – causing a decrease in temp – that occurs a day before your period starts. No temperature drop about two weeks after ovulation is an indication that progesterone is still high and you may be pregnant.

It’s good to know that you have ovulated and therefore after another 24 hours (O+1) it should be safe to go without protection if you’re sure STIs aren’t a problem. However, if you haven’t been carefully watching up to that point for slippery stretchy cervical fluid and a ripening of the cervix when it softens, opens and rises higher in the vagina - which tells you you’re fertile and should be using a barrier - you may find you’ve been truly fucked in every sense of the word. That’s because when sperm reaches fertile cervical fluid it can live in a woman’s tubes as long as 5 to 7 days waiting for her to release an egg. In the teens and early 20s (19 to 26 years old) a woman has a 50% chance of becoming pregnant from a single act of unprotected IC on her most fertile day. So a woman really needs to be careful using FAM.