Birth control otherwise known as contraceptives are used for various reasons: preventing pregnancy, spacing your children, Polycystic syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Rape, missed your oral pills, diaphragm slipped out, irregular periods, PMS and so on. Contraceptives aren’t one size fit all. What your body can tolerate isn’t same as another.
There are myths about contraceptives that I need to debunk, guys!!
Contraceptive would not destroy your womb/uterus
They do not stop your chances of giving birth
They do not make your hair fall out, this isn't cancer.
The only contraceptive that protects against STI is condoms.
You cannot use contraceptives for abortion.
There's isn't any contraceptive that gives 100% protection, at most, it is 99% effective.
They do not cause congenital defects in a baby.
Older people do need birth control
Taking alabukun, 7-up or agbo or whatever concoction does not prevent pregnancy neither does it make you urinate sperm. You have just been lucky.
The urine comes out of your urethra which is above your vagina. Sperm goes into your vagina not your urethra so you cannot urinate sperm by drinking alabukun.
Contraceptives work by either;
- preventing sperm from getting to the eggs -e.g condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges or
- by sterilization, which permanently prevents a man from getting a woman pregnant or a woman from getting pregnant or
- By keeping the woman ovaries from releasing eggs that could be fertilized -e.g Pills, shots (injection), Implants
How do contraceptives work in the female body?
Every woman has estrogen and progesterone hormones. Estrogen facilitates egg release from the ovaries passing through the fallopian tubes to the uterus (womb), the progesterone, on the other hand, causes the lining of the womb (endometrium) to build up in preparation for the egg to be fertilized.
Our hormones tend to be high during this period which in turns causes premenstrual syndrome (PMS). If the eggs aren't fertilized, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop, without them the lining of your womb starts to shed which is your period. Certain contraceptives contain man-made progestin similar to progesterone which works by thickening the mucus around your cervix making it hard for sperm to reach the egg, it also stops your eggs from leaving the ovaries. That way if the sperm gets to the uterus there's no egg to be fertilized.
What about the men, what options do they have?
Not so much as we women have, dearies. Just the condoms, withdrawal method and vasectomy.
- The withdrawal method is simply pulling out before ejaculation but sperm can still be released before ejaculating.
- Condoms stop sperm from getting to the eggs, its 85% effective because people don't use it properly, it breaks, also certain people are allergic to latex condoms. This is the only one that lowers the risk of STIs.
- Vasectomy is a short surgical procedure that blocks or cuts the vas deferens tube, keeping sperm out of your semen. Sperm is made in your testicles, leaves via the vas deferens tube, mixes with other fluid to make your semen (Cum). After this surgical procedure, you probably should wait for 2–3 months for your semen to not contain sperm. It does not reduce your sex drive, does not reduce the amount of semen produced either.
Contraceptive options for women
There are the emergency contraceptive, the long-term reversible options, and the permanent option.
First of all, let's talk about the emergency pill also known as the morning-after pill: This should not be used as a routine method for birth control. This is for cases where you had unprotected sex, forgot to take an oral pill, arent sure your man pulled out, sexual assault. The morning-after pill does not mean you take it only in the morning either. You take it after you have had unprotected sex. It contains levonorgestrel which is a progestin which I explained earlier. Examples are Postinor, Plan B, Postpill, and Levonelle. Ella one is an emergency pill but doesn't contain levonorgestrel, it contains ulipristal acetate which stops progesterone hormone from working properly. The pill is just one tablet if you vomit after 2–3hours of taking it, you need to see your doctor/G.P to prescribe something else.
Do not use the emergency pill if you are already pregnant
It is not an abortion pill, it would not kill the baby.
If you find out you are pregnant months later and you did take the emergency pill, you probably were pregnant already before taking the pill.
You take the emergency pill within three days of unprotected sex (Levonelle, postinor) or five days (Ella one), the sooner you take it after unprotected sex the more effective it is. Do not abuse emergency pills.
The Intrauterine Device (IUD) is also an emergency contraceptive. It is best inserted within five days of unprotected sex, Its effective, long-lasting and can be left as your routine method of contraceptive. It can be left in for 3, 5 or 10 years. You can also take it out whenever you are ready to conceive.
Long-term reversible options
The implant is also known as Nexplanon is a tiny, thin rod about the size of a matchstick. It’s inserted into your arm by a doctor or nurse. It releases the progestin hormone that prevents you from getting pregnant. You might be familiar with the Implanon, it is the older version of Nexplanon. It can last up to 5 years. This doesn't mean you have to wait 5 years before getting pregnant. you can take it out whenever you are ready to get pregnant even if it is after a year of having the implant inserted. Its 99% effective as its a contraceptive you insert and forget it's even there, it's not visible on your arm except you feel for it.
The Intrauterine Device (IUD) is a tiny small piece of flexible plastic shaped like “T” that's put into your uterus. There are two types of IUDs: Copper and hormonal IUD.
- The copper IUD known brand is (Paragard) and
- The hormonal IUD ( Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, and Skyla).
The copper IUD releases a bit of copper which makes the uterus inhospitable for the sperm. While the hormonal IUD works by releasing progestin which makes thickens the mucus in the cervix so that sperm can’t penetrate or changes the normal contractions of the Fallopian tubes making it hard for the eggs to get to the uterus and when the sperm enters the body the progestin negatively affects the sperm so they can’t survive.
A string about 1 – 2 inches long will come out of the cervix. Do not panic it’s not noticeable. It’s there so your doctor or nurse can take out the IUD when you are ready. Mirena lasts for (7 years), Kyleena (5 years), Liletta (7 years), Skyla (3 years) and the copper IUD ( 12 years).
Always tell your doctor you are on birth control before he prescribes any other medication when sick as certain medications interfere with contraceptives making them less effective.
