Birth Control

One would think that the critical message I want to relay to you is pretty obvious: it is imperative that if you are sexually active, you must use contraceptives. I want to emphasize how important this is, especially for teenagers. Although unprotected sex is a problem that can occur at any age it appears to be out of control with the under 21 set. Certainly the fact that our government advocates abstinence only sex education in schools isn't helping, yet I think the problem goes beyond that. There are larger issues here that need to be addressed as a society though I will not go into my personal thoughts about the cause of this phenomenon.

My little sister informed me that her 13 year old friend just had an abortion, and another friend said multiple people are pregnant in her junior year of high school. So many kids these days are getting horizontal and they are not being safe about it. The median age for being sexually active continues to decrease with every passing year. I do not wish to lecture or preach to anybody about their bedroom behavior or determine whether or not they are ready to have sex. All I hope to do is put some information out on the table and hope you are smart enough to heed my advice.

A gynecologist is the logical starting place for contraceptives. For some this is not an option because they are uninsured or they do not wish for their parents to know. Even if you are a minor, you can still obtain condoms and birth control from organizations such as Planned Parenthood or your local health center. There are confidentiality laws to ensure that your parents will not know.

First of all, birth control is a two-pronged approach. It involves taking measures to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases [STD's]. A condom technically can do both of these things but it's not enough. Young women need to take matters into their own hands by getting an oral contraceptive or another form of hormone regulator in addition to using a condom each and every time. Using the Planned Parenthood website as a guide, I am going to describe the options females have in this department. We are all familiar with the most common form of birth control, the pill. "The hormones in the pill work by keeping a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs - ovulation. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm. The hormones in the pill also prevent pregnancy by thickening a woman's cervical mucus. The mucus blocks sperm and keeps it from joining with an egg" (The Pill - PP). If used correctly, there is a 99% success rate. Yet I must take a moment to stress the phrase 'if used correctly.' This means you take your pill every day at the exact same time. It is entirely possible to become pregnant while taking birth control-even daily-if the pills are not taken on a consistent schedule. Also worth noting is the fact that certain antibiotics can make the pill weak or ineffective, so you must tell your doctor that you are taking it. Pills usually cost between $15-$50 per month.

Common side effects include weight loss/gain, change in menstrual periods, and breast tenderness. Most of these can be eliminated by changing the type of pill you are taking. Currently over a dozen varieties exist, so if you choose to go this route you will surely be able to find the best one for you. Some pills even give you the option of having few periods.

There are many forms of birth control besides the pill; however, I am only going to address the three most common ones: shots, patches, and the vaginal ring. Each of these has their advantages and drawbacks. The chances of getting pregnant run from the 97%-99% range for each contraceptive if used correctly.

My preferred method is the Depo-Provera shot. I am not good at remembering daily medication, scared that a patch might fall off, and the idea of anything being inserted [much less remain] inside of me is frightening so this is the best choice for me. Once every three months you go in for a quick and relatively painless injection on your arm. Unlike all other forms of contraceptives, the shot contains no estrogen, so it's safe for women who are breastfeeding. Side effects are similar to those of other contraceptives but a difference here is that Depo-Provera depletes the calcium intake so it is important to take a supplement. Injections usually cost around $50-$75.Birth control in the patch form is what the name implies, a small patch that adheres to your skin. Each patch is left on the skin for three weeks at a time and can be worn in water. They can easily be hidden, and the statistics and side effects are similar to those of oral contraceptives. An obvious disadvantage would be the weakening-or falling off entirely-of the patches that cost around $35-$50 per month.

A more recent invention is the Nuva Ring. This is a ring that can be inserted directly into the vagina for three weeks. It cannot fall out and does not interfere with any other feminine issues such as tampon use or medication for a yeast infection. It costs $30-35 per ring.

If you are interested in a more permanent form of birth control [up to 5 years], consider an intrauterine device, such as Mirena. These are small and flexible pieces attached to the uterus by your doctor in an in-office procedure that can be removed at any time with no lingering effects.

Now that we've discussed the first part of birth control, let's move along to the second: the condom. Condoms are the only, and I repeat-the only-method of birth control that protect against STD's. The choices discussed above are designed only to prevent a pregnancy. I will not spend time here instructing you how to put on a condom or telling you that they must be removed after each use because you can read about that in the instructions.

Simply put, you cannot trust people to be honest about their sexual history, especially if you do not know them well. And even if you are close to them, they may have something and be completely unaware of it. Insist that your partner wear a condom every time and both of you get tested for STD's. If he refuses then he is not worth your time much less the risk.

Everyone should carry condoms. This is not skanky; this is smart. You do not want to ruin a good moment because you don't have a condom-or worse-ignore the fact that you do not have protection and have sex anyway. You can purchase condoms at any gas station, pharmacy, or even the grocery store. They come in a wide variety of colors and textures so you can make the most of your prophylactic experience.

Follow my advice, young people of the world. You don't want to end up with three children and a raging case of herpes by the time you can legally drink because of a lapse of judgment. Failure to protect yourself has devastating-physical, emotional, and financial-consequences.

WORKS CITED:

Planned Parenthood official website.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org