Birth control comes in several different forms and ranges in effectiveness. Each form of birth control varies in symptoms depending on the location of the birth control and whether it is hormonal or non-hormonal. The purpose of use varies from person to person, birth control can be used to prevent pregnancy as implied in the name, it can in addition be used to regulate the menstrual cycle and to help regulate hormones. For several individuals it is considered a health necessity. Birth control options vary depending on the health and medication of those using it. Birth control options range in period of effectiveness, the forms of birth control include one temporary, semi-permanent, and permanent.
Temporary birth control is the least effective method of birth due to human error or a manufacturing error, the effectiveness ranging from 77-98% effective. Temporary contraceptives include, male condoms, female condoms, vaginal birth control sponge, spermicide gel, a diaphragm, cervical cap, the pill ,breast feeding, abstinence, a fertility calendar, and the withdrawal method. Some temporary methods of birth control can be considered a lifestyle while others are considered medical. Out of the temporary methods male condoms, male condoms, female condoms, vaginal birth control sponge, spermicide gel, a diaphragm, cervical cap, the pill, and birth control patches are all considered to be medical. Breast feeding, abstinence, a fertility calendar, and the withdrawal method are considered to be under the category of lifestyle.
Medical forms of birth control generally involve insertable devices combined with spermicide and medication. Condoms are a commonly used form of medical contraceptive due to the relatively low price. There are both male and female condoms; the male condom is placed on the penis before intercourse and the female condom is inserted into the vagina before intercourse. According to the national institute of health pertaining to male condoms, “This condom is a thin sheath that covers the penis to collect sperm and prevent it from entering the woman’s body. Male condoms are generally made of latex or polyurethane, but a natural alternative is lambskin (made from the intestinal membrane of lambs).” Female condoms share a similar method but are inserted into the vagina instead of on the penis, “These are thin, flexible plastic pouches. A portion of the condom is inserted into a woman’s vagina before intercourse to prevent sperm from entering the uterus.” Both forms of condoms prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) excluding a lambskin male condom. The vaginal sponge is another form of contraceptive, this sponge is inserted into the vagina before intercourse and is left in the vagina for at least six hours after intercourse. The sponge is filled with a contraceptive gel called spermicide. Spermicide prevents the sperm produced during intercourse from entering the female egg and fertilizing it. Spermicide gel can be combined with other methods of birth control to increase effectiveness and prevent STDs. Spermicide itself does not prevent STDs. Devices like the cervical cap and diaphragm are used to prevent pregnancy by blocking the cervix from sperm entry. Pills are a commonly seen contraceptive there are two types of pills Progestin-only pills and combination oral pills. Progestin-only pills are taken on a regular schedule according to The National Institute of Health “A woman takes one pill daily, preferably at the same time each day. POPs may interfere with ovulation or with sperm function.” Due to the hormones used in POPS the pill may lead to symptoms like skin irritation, hair loss, and a multitude of other symptoms. Combination oral pills are taken in a similar fashion and serve the same purpose as POPS. POPS prevents sperm from entering the egg and combination oral pills prevent ovulation. Birth control patches are weekly replaced and transmet hormones like estrogen and progestin transdermally.
Lifestyle temporary birth control involves different Methods. Breastfeeding is not a considerably well known form of birth control but it is highly effective with a success rate of 98%. While breastfeeding ovulation is highly unlikely to occur though in order to stop ovulation breast feeding must take place every four to five hours on a regular schedule. Abstinence is a lifestyle that prevents pregnancy at 100% effectiveness, this lifestyle is living without sexual intercourse. Outercourse is possible even in a lifestyle abstaining from intercourse, outer course involves sexual acts that do not involve sperm entering the vagina. A fertility calendar only requires those using it to abstain for days at a time Anita L. Nelson states, “Fertility awareness methods rely on techniques that can help women determine their at-risk days (the 5–7 days preceding ovulation). Once the at-risk days are identified, couples can use barriers or commit to abstinence during those days. The calendar (Rhythm), cervical mucus detection (Billings technique) and symptomothermal methods are still used to identify the at-risk days, but newer, simpler methods are replacing them.” The withdrawal method though it is the least effective still can be considered a form of birth control according to Planned parenthood, “Pulling out is exactly what it sounds like: pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation. If semen gets in your vagina, you can get pregnant. So ejaculating away from a vulva or vagina prevents pregnancy.”
Long Term birth control is an option for those not wanting to become permanently sterile, yet also not wanting to use a contraceptive that takes a large amount of effort to uphold. Long term contraception includes Intrauterine devices, Implants, birth control shots, and vaginal ring. Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are as implied in the named devices inserted into the uterus. IUDs can be hormonal or non hormonal Paragard® is non hormonal Mirena®, Kyleena®, Liletta®, and Skyla® are all forms of hormonal IUDs. Hormonal birth control does tend to negatively affect the skin Zach H depicts this by stating, “:Hormonal contraceptives can induce changes in the skin and its appendages. Many skin functions are regulated by sex hormones. Clinical use of synthetic sex hormones can effect these hormone-dependent functions. Some effects are due to individual overdose of hormonal contraceptives; others are due to allergic reactions to contraceptive components.” Hormonal IUDs such as, Mirena®, Kyleena®, Liletta®, and Skyla® are all plastic IUDS with slow releasing hormones, “The hormones in the Mirena®, Kyleena®, Liletta®, and Skyla® IUDs prevent pregnancy in two ways: 1) they thicken the mucus that lives on the cervix, which blocks and traps the sperm, and 2) the hormones also sometimes stop eggs from leaving your ovaries (called ovulation), which means there’s no egg for a sperm to fertilize.” Paragard® on the other hand is a non hormonal copper IUD, “A copper IUD prevents sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg, and it may prevent the egg from attaching in the womb. If fertilization of the egg does occur, the physical presence of the device prevents the fertilized egg from implanting into the lining of the uterus.”
Jadelle®, Nexplanon®, and Implanon® are also devices inserted into the body, ..though they are not inserted into the uterus. Nexplanon®, and Implanon® are the only two distributed in America, while Jadelle® is not. Nexplanon®, and Implanon® are both one rod methods, the rod is inserted into the upper arm of the patient and remains there for three to twelve years. According to Lawren D. Wellisch, and Julie Chor, “…Contraceptive implants work by slowly releasing a steady dose of progesterone that suppresses ovulation. Implanon and Nexplanon are both approved for pregnancy prevention for up to 3 years…” Jadelle® is a two rod method in which the hormone levonorgestrel is released. Birth control shots have a shorter period of use making them more desirable for some. One commonly used contraceptive shot is Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) according to Anita L. Nelson, “(DMPA) is the most widely used progestin-only injection. It is composed of microcrystals suspended in an aqueous solution, available in products for intramuscular and subcutaneous administration. Subcutaneous administration offers the opportunity for self-injection.” Birth control injections typically last up to three months. Vaginal rings are the shortest span of use of the long term birth controls only lasting up to a month, they are inserted into the vagina and pushed up to the cervix in order to block sperm entry.
Permanent procedures and implants are also considered a form of birth control. Permanent surgical procedures include tubal ligation, laparoscopy, minilaparotomy, and vasectomy. Surgical procedures include both male and female options tubal ligation is a female option and the vasectomy is a male option. The female uterus includes two fallopian tubes that are connected to the ovaries, the ovaries release eggs to be fertilized in the uterus. The National Institute of Health describes the tubal ligation procedure as follows, “Tubal ligation (pronounced TOO-buhl lahy-GEY-shuhn) is a surgical procedure in which a doctor cuts, ties, or seals the fallopian tubes. This procedure blocks the path between the ovaries and the uterus. The sperm cannot reach the egg to fertilize it, and the egg cannot reach the uterus.” Most recover from the procedure within a few days. A laparoscopy is the sealing of the fallopian tubes this procedure is the most common amount female sterilization procedures, planned parenthood describes the procedure as, “They make a few small cuts in your lower belly and use a laparoscope (a tool with a light and a lens) to find your fallopian tubes. Then they use heat, clips, or rings to close off your tubes or remove them completely.” This procedure has a small recovery time of a few days and minimal scarring. A minilaparotomy is generally done right after child birth According to Planned parenthood, “…a minilaparotomy. It’s often done right after childbirth. You get local anesthesia and your doctor makes a small cut near your belly button. The doctor brings your fallopian tubes up through the cut, then removes a short section of your tubes, blocks your tubes with clips, or removes the tubes completely. It usually only takes a few days to recover.”The male sterilization procedure is called the vasectomy. The male reproductive system includes the urethra and testicles. The sperm goes from the testicles then through the urethra to fertilize the female egg. A vasectomy according to The National Institute of Health is, “Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that cuts, closes, or blocks the vas deferens. This procedure blocks the path between the testes and the urethra. The sperm cannot leave the testes and cannot reach the egg.” The vasectomy takes up to three months to become fully effective.
Birth control is used to prevent pregnancy. Birth control comes in several forms and the effectiveness varies. Birth control span of use also varies. Birth control can be used temporarily, long term, and permanently. Temporary tends to be the least effective while permanent is considered the most effective. Within each category there are several effects depending on whether they are hormonal or not. Birth control used by a patient varies from person to person though it generally serves similar purposes.
Works Cited
Nelson, Anita L. “Reversible Female Contraception: Current Options and New Developments.” Expert Review of Medical Devices, vol. 4, no. 2, 2007, pp. 241-52. ProQuest, https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.linc.southark.edu:2443/scholarly-journals/reversible-female-contraception-current-options/docview/852627119/se-2, doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy.linc.southark.edu:2443/10.1586/17434440.4.2.241.Accessed March 5, 2024.
Wellisch, Lawren D., M.D., and Chor, Julie,M.D., M.P.H. “LARC First: What the General Pediatrician Needs to Know about IUDs and Contraceptive Implants.” Pediatric annals, vol. 42, no. 9, 2013, pp. 380-3. ProQuest, https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.linc.southark.edu:2443/scholarly-journals/larc-first-what-general-pediatrician-needs-know/docview/1431935193/se-2, doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy.linc.southark.edu:2443/10.3928/00904481-20130823-13. Accessed March 5, 2024.
Zaun, H. “Hautveränderungen unter der Einnahme hormonaler Kontrazeptiva” [Skin changes from taking hormonal contraceptives]. Medizinische Monatsschrift fur Pharmazeuten vol. 4,6 (1981): 161-5.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (2014). Birth control. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control-4211.htm. Accessed March 5, 2024.
National Institute of Health “What are the Different Types of Contraceptives?”, National Institute of Health, https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/contraception/conditioninfo/types, Accessed March 6, 2024.
