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The Truth About Condoms

Med — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:35:52 +0000

Many men prefer not to use condoms instead leaving the issue of contraception to their female partner. In this day of sexually transmitted diseases, STDs, sexually transmitted infections, STIs, and teenage pregnancy a man must take some responsibility if he wants to engage in a sexual relationship. The myths that guys have been lead to believe about condoms are one of the things that prevent this. If they knew the truth perhaps it would aching their minds.

One line heard too many times is that the cost of a box of condoms is too much. The thing to think about here is what is too much? How about the cost of monthly child support payments for at least eighteen years? Or maybe the cost of medical treatment for a case of herpes, HIV/AIDS or some other sexually transmitted disease. Surely in comparison to those buying a box of condoms is getting of cheap.

The guy who tells you he cannot wear a condom because he is allergic to latex is probably not lying since as many as three percent of the population actually does have a latex allergy. Fortunately, not all condoms are made of latex. Some are now made from polyurethane. That means the man only has to make sure he checks the package to see what they are made of. He will be able to find the other type and then he will have no excuse.

Do not let him tell you that he cannot find one that is the right fit. This can be either because he is trying to impress you with his size or perhaps is embarrassed by his lack of size. Either way it no longer matters. There is not a one size fits all theory to condoms. They are available to fit big, small and average sized penises.

Do not think that condoms can last forever sitting in your wallet waiting for the right time. It is good to have one in your wallet so that you are certain not to have unprotected sex. But they do dry out over time and if they do they will break and be useless. So, if you do not use it replace it every couple of months. This does not mean that you should believe the myth that condoms break all the time. This contraception device is regulated by the government, the Food and Drug administration, and they do quality testing regularly. As well, they are tested before being packaged. This is done unfalteringly because of the nature of the outcome if something should go wrong. The breakage rate in the United States is less than two percent.

Another infuriating excuse for not using a condom is the one where the guy says that it will not protect them from HIV so what’s the point. This is very wrong. The latex condom is made specifically to prevent the transfer of detrimental micro organism including the HIV virus and the Hepatitis B virus. Perhaps having dispelled these myths more men will give condoms a try.

The Beginnings To Present Day Development Of The Condom

Med — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:56:52 +0000

The condom has been around for thousands of years. The first use was likely as far back as 950 B.C. That year was estimated to be its beginning because of paintings found in Egypt from those times that show condoms being used. There were also paintings in Europe showing early use but not as long as ago as that. It is believed they began to use them between the first and second centuries. The word condom comes from the Latin word condus, which means a container or vessel. This explains idea that it was used to hold something in it. In some places the early ones were made from leather while others they were made out of animal intestines. In Japan the early ones were made from leather or tortoise shells.

In the Roman times the men wore them as a battle prize, using the intestines of their enemies to shield their penises. Later they used the intestines of sheep or goats. In the fourteen hundreds the Italians began to promote the use of condoms in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The particular concern of the time was syphilis. It was not until the seventeen hundreds that it was understood that condoms were able to do more than merely protect against diseases. That was when they started to be sold in stores.

Once the invention of rubber had occurred, in the seventeen hundreds, this was used to make condoms. Then in the 1930s with the invention of latex condom making was revolutionized. Improvements continued until the present day with them still being made of latex, but thinner and more comfortable. For those who are allergic to latex there are some condoms that are made of polyurethane.

They come in a variety of sizes to ensure a snug fit. If the man is small, average or large there is a condom to fit him. Although not a one hundred percent guaranteed protection condoms are rated in the high nineties, they do fulfill more than one purpose. This can be said of no other method of contraception. It prevents pregnancy while also protecting the couple from spreading an STD; sexually transmitted disease. Although these types of condoms are used only by men there actually is a female condom as well.

A new development in recent years has seen the marketing of a condom for women. Known as a femidoms or the vaginal pouch, they are the same length as the condom used by men but are wider. The femidoms is placed into the vagina and keep there until intercourse is over. These are usually made of polyurethane and have an outer ring keep it in position. It has the advantage for women that they being are now able to take their own precautions against the possibility of catching an STD. This is relatively new and how it is being received by women is still unknown. Though some women have said it is not all that comfortable while others have complained about the noise it makes during intercourse.

The Rhythm Method

Med — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:57:52 +0000

One of the methods of contraception used by those who prefer not to use medical methods, such as the Pill, the IUD or the diaphragm, is natural family planning which is also called the rhythm method. This is also used by those whose religions do not allow them to use birth control. The difficulty with this method is that it only works for women who have very regular menstrual cycles. If you want to try the rhythm method but your periods are not regular there is no point in attempting to use it. It will do nothing to give you protection from an unwanted pregnancy.

For this method of contraception to work a woman must take her base temperature daily before she gets out of bed. She must be aware of the mucus changes her body goes through and what they mean. A woman must understand how her cycle works and that she is fertile for a period of about seven days. These days include those that fall on either side of the day she ovulates. This is important to know since sperm live for as long as five days after intercourse and the egg can survive up to twenty four hours once it has been released.

There are places that women can go to learn how to use this method from professionals who will teach them how to make charts of their cycles, when it is safe to have intercourse and when abstinence is the only answer. There are also computer programs designed to help make this a better system. Still, the best of times this method is only seventy five percent effective.

A woman should understand that she will ovulate fourteen days before she menstruates again. This means that she must calculate the length of her cycle, this varies for different women, and estimate the day she should ovulate. If she has a thirty day cycle she will ovulate on the sixteenth day. The remaining days are divided into safe days and risky days. The safest time is after the fertile period is completed until when the woman’s period starts. The other safe period, which is shorter based on the length of time sperm can survive starts the first day of her period and goes until about seven days before she is supposed to ovulate. The most fertile period is about seven days long.

The advantages to this system of contraception are that a woman need not put anything foreign into her body either in the form of medication or a device. The cost is cheap once she has bought a basal thermometer. The disadvantages are that it has a low rate of effectiveness and it is only good for a woman who has established a regular cycle. It is best used in a monogamous relationship where the man understands of her choice. Another disadvantage is that is does not offer any protection from sexually transmitted diseases, but if it is a monogamous relationship this should not be a problem.

Using An Iud

Med — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:09:52 +0000

The intra uterine device, common called an IUD, is a contraceptive device that must be inserted into the uterus by the woman’s health care provider. The first thing that needs to be cleared up about this device is its name. It can be confusing to many women when one contraceptive method goes by many names. The IUD has also been called the Coil. This name comes from the days, back as far as the 1960s, when this device was shaped like a coil. They were also known as the Loop around the same time; again for the shape. Another name that this has been called is the Copper T. This time it reflects its shape and what it is made of. With all this confusion a woman needs to know what the device she is going to use is called. She must avoid the confusion of thinking it is an IUS which is a device that uses hormones in its method of birth control.

One of the first questions a woman often asks about the IUD is how big it is. They are afraid of this contraceptive device that they know must be put inside of them. The answer frequently surprises and pleases them. It is quite tiny. If you thought of the size of a match then you would be able to picture it. Think of your uterus being the size of the average woman’s fist and this makes even more sense. The device is in a shape like a T.

It must be implanted by your health care provider. It is placed into a thin tube like device which is gently slipped into the vagina and expelled into the uterus. It has two strings that hang from it. These serve two purposes. One is to allow the opportunity for the woman, and sometimes her physician, to check to confirm it is still properly in place. They are also necessary when the device is to be removed. Using a special instrument the health care provider extracts the device by grabbing onto the threads.

The IUD works in three distinct ways. It blocks the sperm from being able to travel into the uterus and along the fallopian tubes. It also affects the cervical discharges, increasing and thickening them and this too helps to block the sperm. Lastly the IUD helps to stop the uterus from being a welcoming host to the egg and so there is less of a chance that a fertilized egg would be able to attach.

This contraceptive device has a good record of protection. It is rated at ninety eight percent effective. Currently it is estimated that five percent of all women who are currently involved in a sexual relationship are using the IUD as their main method of contraception. The main concern for women who use this method is that it is likely to affect their menstrual cycles. It may make them longer, heavier and potentially more painful. But when choosing a contraceptive sometimes it is a trade off; convenience for a little discomfort.

Sterilization As An Option For Women

Med — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:52:52 +0000

When looking to a permanent contraception answer most women will choose the tubal ligation. This option, also called sterilization, is a surgical procedure where the physician cuts, or blocks in some manner, the fallopian tubes. This prevents the eggs from reaching the uterus and makes it almost impossible for sperm to reach them. This method is not one hundred percent guaranteed as there is still a one in two hundred chance of conception. The other choice for women is a hysterectomy. In this much more major operation the entire uterus is removed. Therefore, this operation guarantees no more pregnancies. Often the fallopian tubes and ovaries are also removed. This practice is more commonly done due to illness or excessive bleeding during menstruation, endometriosis or cancer. It is not done nearly as often solely for the purpose of sterilization.

If sterilization is the choice a women makes she may have to convince her health care provider that this is the right choice for her depending on her age. If she is under thirty she may have difficulty convincing a surgeon that this is a good idea, especially if she does not have children yet. Many surgeons will suggest she wait since a tubal ligation is a permanent measure. Once this is done the only way a woman could have children would be through the in vitro fertilization process. This is an expensive process if a woman should later regret having had a tubal ligation. That is why she must be certain that this is truly what she wants. Some surgeons will even suggest a few counseling sessions to make sure that the patient has the right reasons, for her, to do such a drastic thing if she is young. If she is over thirty five, and has had her children, then her health care provider will direct her to a good surgeon and understand her want to put an end to the need to worry about contraception.

A women’s menstrual cycle may become heavier after she has had this surgery, but only for a percentage of women. Many remain the same as does their hormone production. For any woman who is worried, her interest in sex will also remain the same. The outcome of the surgery does nothing to affect this. As a matter of fact some women enjoy the sexual experience more knowing that there is no risk of getting pregnant.

In most cases tubal ligation is an outpatient procedure. The woman comes into the hospital in the morning, has the surgery done under a general anesthetic and leaves in the evening to go home. There is also a method of doing this surgery that requires only a local anesthetic. A woman must discuss the options with her surgeon to see which one will be best for her. Once the surgery is completed a woman is protected from getting pregnant. A percentage of women continue using a method of contraception until their first cycle after the surgery. This is a matter of personal preference.

Abortion Should Not Be Used As A Method Of Contraception

Med — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:32:52 +0000

Unfortunately, all too often a method of contraception that is used fails or a couple forgets to take precautions in the heat of the moment. No matter which circumstance it is an unwanted pregnancy results. When this happens there are few alternatives, but one is an abortion. The big concern about this route is whether too many women use it as a means of contraception. Abortion is a controversial practice to begin with. It is an emotional issue that polarizes family, politicians and religious groups. The problem is that there is no easy answer to the question of right and wrong on this issue. Opposite sides have argued the question for decades and will continue to do so for decades more.

For women who have discovered that they are pregnant at a time when having a baby is not right for them it is already to late for the emergency contraception to work. This leaves very few alternatives. A young teenage girl of sixteen is still a child herself and raising a baby will disrupt her education, and potentially leave her in a low paying job with very little prospect to better herself or make a good life for her baby. A child should not be raising a child.

Some feel that if she were old enough to engage in sexual activity than she is old enough to deal with the consequence of the act. Others feel that it is only right to have her learn from her mistake and allow an early abortion. This issue will never be solved since neither side will ever see the reasoning of the other. The key here is that abortion is available to women to who would otherwise not be able to raise a baby. Carrying a child should not be a punishment for a sexually active teen that was unwise in their birth control choices.

On the other hand a woman who chooses to use abortion as a means of contraception is making a mistake. Whatever means of abortion is used it is a major attack on a woman’s body both physically and emotionally. It should be used only as a last alternative not as the primary means of contraption which a very small proportion of women do. There are certainly enough convenient, effective and inexpensive methods of contraception on the market, or available from family planning clinics, that it is not necessary to rely on abortion in that manner.

Interestingly, results from studies show that sixty percent of abortions preformed in 2000 were on women who had previously had at least one, and sometimes two, children. This was an important fact to learn as it shows the trend to avoid a pregnancy out of embarrassment, concern about being found to be pregnant or not wanting to get in trouble with their parents is not the main reason for his act. For many it seems the inability to care for one more child, whether that is emotionally or financially has become more of a reason to terminate an unexpected pregnancy.

Myths Surrounding The Iud

Med — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:23:52 +0000

The unknown is what we all fear, but it is worse when it is an unknown thing that concerns our bodies and our health. There are so many questions about the intra uterine device, referred to commonly as the IUD, that this causes many women to be concerned about using it as a birth control method. Dispelling these rumors and answering the questions that surround its use would go a long way towards making women more comfortable considering this ninety eight percent effective method of contraceptive.

One fear is that IUDs affect a woman’s prospect of having children when they are ready to. This is false. Using an IUD does not impinge on a women’s fertility in later years. There are stories that say that a woman can die if she becomes pregnant while using an IUD. This too is false. Studies have shown that no woman has died from an IUD induced miscarriage in thirty years.

Many women fear that the IUD must be changed yearly. This is completely dependent on the type of IUD used. The Cooper-T only has to be changed once every ten years, though you do want your health care provider to check its placeman periodically. Some need changing every five years and there is one at least that should be changed yearly. You should discuss with you health car provider the advantages and disadvantages of each before deciding which to use.

Some women think that their lover will be able to feel the strings during intercourse and that it will take away from the sexual experience. This is unlikely. But, if he can, it only means a visit to your physician where they will adjust the length of the strings by snipping a little off. The myths also claim that it can get moved around during intercourse or even fall out. An IUD that has been put in correctly by our health care provider will stay in place. Although they have been known to come out on their own, very infrequently, in women who have not yet had children, it is very unusual and should not be a cause for concern. Some women think that if they use an IUD they will no longer be able to use tampons. The two should not interfere with each other.

One of the other big concerns when using this contraceptive device is sexually transmitted diseases, known as STDs. Using an IUD does not mean that it is more likely for a woman to contract an STD. Staying monogamous will take care of those concerns. The only method of contraception that can help with those concerns is the use of a condom. If you are having multiple partners an IUD may not be your best solution. If one of your partners has an STD and you catch it the infection can spread easier by travelling up the strings. This means that a woman who has multiple partners is better off using other methods of contraception and insisting her partners take precautions as well.

Emergency Contraception

Med — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:06:52 +0000

Often a couple’s first sexual experience is not a planned one and this can be a problem when it comes to birth control unless the woman is on the pill or the man carries a condom. Most of the other possible contraception devices would require expecting to have a sexual encounter and therefore having brought something with. Depending on when intercourse occurs in a woman’s cycle this unplanned lovemaking can be a cause for worry. If the woman is concerned about becoming pregnant she does have one set of alternatives open to her; emergency contraception. This is not a method that should be used as a replacement for taking proper precautions during intercourse but it can be the answer when pregnancy is feared. Emergency contraception must be used within seventy two hours of intercourse to be effective.

These emergency contraceptives are sometimes called morning after pills. This name is somewhat misleading as a woman does have up to seventy to hours after intercourse to use it not just the next morning. The most common of the pills to choose from are very much like the Pill but with much higher level of hormones to prevent conception from occurring. There is another type that is referred to as an anti-hormonal drug as it has no estrogen or progestin in it. But, it seems to do the same thing. The medication that uses both estrogen and progestin has earned a reputation of being less useful. The woman must take two pills, twelve hours apart. The feeling is that this emergency contraception method is not as easy on a woman’s body.

The progestin only method has an eight nine percent effectiveness rating while the two step method has a seventy five percent rating for effectiveness. Now, these numbers may be confusing if you do not understand how they are calculated. If you take a group of one thousand women who are afraid that they may conceive based on the timing of intercourse and the timing of the cycle it is actually likely that only eighty of them are at risk of conceiving. Therefore it is a percentage of those eighty that the researchers are talking about. Consequently, if there are eighty that could conceive, even after the medication, twenty women will still become pregnant.

It should be understood that these medications do not abort a pregnancy, they prevent it from happening. A woman does not become pregnant the very moment they have intercourse. If the emergency contraception is used, especially if it is used within twenty four hours following intercourse, it acts before pregnancy occurs.

There are some side effects of taking this medication. A woman may suffer from nausea, headaches or even cramps. None of these are serious. These emergency contraceptives are safe for women to use. They have no long term harmful effects and if a women does wind up pregnant despite using the emergency contraceptive she should know that having taken it will not affect her unborn child in any detrimental manner.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Contraceptive Implants

Med — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:43:52 +0000

Like every type of contraceptive method implants have their benefits and their detractors. With nearly eleven million worldwide using this method, and more women looking to give it a try, it is important to understand what this contraceptive option offers and at what costs. Deciding on a method of contraception is difficult enough the best of times; an informed decision can make this at least somewhat easier.

The biggest advantage of using implants is that once the implant is in place a woman no longer has to worry about contraception for a period of anywhere from one to five years. She need not worry about taking a daily pill, checking to make sure the IUD is in place or remember when to change the contraceptive patch. The effective rating on this method is ninety nine percent. That is an excellent rating and provides almost complete coverage against conception. This can give a woman the ability to not have to worry when she is with her lover. When she is not worrying the sexual experience will be a better one.

This method seems to allow most women to have fewer cramps during menstruation, fewer headaches, and will often diminish breast tenderness. It also seems to help lift the mood swings that women suffer during menstruation. This method also is good because it does not affect the bone density as some methods do. This is very important for women as if bone density is adversely affected it can result in osteoporosis later in life. Implants also seem to help with a women’s acne if she as any. This can be useful for younger women. Implants are safe for women who are nursing. This makes finding a contraceptive method so much easier for women who want to breastfeed their babies. It is also easily reversible since all that is necessary if a woman changes her mind and wants to have a child is for the sticks to be removed by their health care provider.

The results of a recent study were very impressive. Through seventy thousand cycles women who used one brand of the implant contraceptive remained free of unwanted pregnancies. That shows how well this type of contraception can work. The biggest concern for some women is that this method offers to protection from sexually transmitted diseases. For many women that is the biggest issue but unfortunately there is nothing gives that reassurance except the man using a condom.

Nonetheless there are some drawbacks to using the implants. Some women find that their menstrual cycle becomes irregular. For some this is a big issue and they must get their health care providers to give them something that can deal with this problem. Some women find that they gain weight, lose hair or suffer from headaches when they use this method. Sometimes it is difficult to find a health care provider who knows how to properly put in and remove the implants. As well, the implant area sometimes is painful and can even begin to discolor the skin.

Teenagers Needing Contraceptive Advice Have Options

Med — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:44:52 +0000

If you are a sexually active person, or you feel that your relationship is going in the direction that you will become sexually active soon that you need to consider the contraceptive options that are open to you. There are so many possibilities that talking to someone who can advise you, and potentially prescribe for you, is a good idea. This can be difficult thing to do especially if you are young. But, getting the right information is important. You can talk to your friends, and they may offer some advice as well. Though, if you are a teenager getting advice from others in similar circumstances may prove to be less than useful. So, where do you go?

Most cities have some type of clinic that offers family planning services. This can be done by offering a person a free consultation so that the person can become aware of their options or by more immediate intervention like providing free contraceptives. Their aim is to help to prevent teenage pregnancies. That is why so many of them offer free counseling, in the form of advice, to those who are thirteen to nineteen years old. This counseling is offered in a completely confidential manner. That means that they do not notify the teenager’s parents or guardians. These clinics are there to prevent unwanted pregnancies not to judge the teenagers who come to see them. They will offer free condoms, do pregnancy and STD tests if asked, or just advice the teenager on the issues of contraception.

Other venues of advice include the internet. There are websites connected to many of the well known clinics that allow a person to be able to search for information on contraception to help prepare them to talk to someone. This method can teach them more than talking to their teenage friends. They can learn about the different methods and the risks and advantages of each one.

Another alternative is to go to see their general practitioner. The problem is that some of them will not be comfortable giving contraceptives to an underage patient. But, legally, even if you are under sixteen, they are obliged to help you, prescribe for you if that is the alternative you choose, and keep everything about your visit completely confidential. The only time they are permitted to notify parents or guardians is if they are certain that there is a danger to the minor’s health. Otherwise, whether it pleases them or not, they must advise in complete confidentiality.

There are also many advice lines that can be phoned for help. Although these do not offer the free contraceptives that the clinics do they may be a place to start. Sometimes peer pressure or pressure from a boyfriend/girlfriend can push a teenager into a sexual relationship they are not ready for. Or the fear of pregnancy can stop a person from engaging in a sexual relationship even if they are of age. If after talking to someone the teenager still wants to become sexually active the hotline staff will often be able to let them know where the nearest free clinic is.