Your guide to the many options of birth control

Birth control isn’t given anywhere near half the importance it should be. There are so many questions around the taboo of contraception, and birth control is subject to a lot of stigma and biases. It’s so easy to get information from the wrong sources and get caught up in the wrong kind of medication.

Besides this, within the states, birth control is more unnecessarily controlled than women’s reproductive rights are. In this day and age of stigma, rumors, false information, and fake news circulating the interwebs, it can be difficult to have genuine questions answered—everything from the various birth control options available to you to the pros and cons of each. Here are a few such questions answered.

What is the main purpose of birth control?

• Besides the obvious namesake purpose of a birth control, there are some other benefits that come with birth control.
• Many people use birth control and they don’t all have the same set of reasons—the common factor is that they’re all looking to avoid the chance of a pregnancy. But depending on the kind of birth control you get, benefits and reasons range from STD protection to managing one’s menstrual cycle.
• Some kinds of birth control also allow women to manage their PMS symptoms. Birth control options and varieties allow you to use them to fulfill a range of reasons.

Is there a birth control option I can turn to without a doctor?

• Because of the young age for at which teens engage in sexual relations, it’s common for them to have no guidance and no reliable figure to turn to.
• Condoms are by far the easiest of all birth control options to get your hands on. They’re available in supermarkets, vending machines, and pharmacies. There are both male and female condoms—with female condoms slightly more scarce. Both the condoms are used only once then discarded—and it is inadvisable to use both condoms at the same time.
• Condoms also pack a double whammy because they protect from STDs as well—with latex condoms being the best. However, if you’re unsure of a latex allergy then use ones made with other materials.
• Finally, another kind of birth control option available to you is a spermicide. These are available in drugstores and require no prescription. As the name suggests, it kills the sperms once they’re inside the vagina. It’s important that you follow instructions as advised to reap the best benefits.

Are there permanent birth control options?

• Most birth control methods, over the counter or prescribed, are temporary. They need to be used as and when someone engages in sexual intercourse, or be taken continuously (such as birth control pills) to make sure they maintain their efficiency. However, there are more permanent birth control methods.
• One of these is a vasectomy, which is one of the more popular methods. This procedure involves the typing of the tube that connects the sperm to the penis. There is a also a tubectomy for women, which involves tying the tubes to avoid the ovulated egg from traveling to the uterus. Both are serious procedures and often cannot be reversed, if ever.
• Relatively permanent birth control options such as an intrauterine device can be used. Depending on what kind of wire you get it can last anywhere between 3 to 10 years.

How can one resolve an unwanted pregnancy?

• If you find that one of the many birth control options you tried has failed, or you simply did not take birth control, this could result in an unwanted pregnancy.
• In this instance, the woman (along with a discussion with the partner if she so wishes) can resolve the unwanted pregnancy with the morning-after pill or emergency contraception. Other options include abortion of the pregnancy.

Is birth control the right option to take?

• If you find yourself asking this question, then you need to look at what led to it. If you’re a consenting adult engaging in mutual sexual intercourse then you should get one form of birth control or another.
• This is beside the fact that you and your partner must screen for STDs before you even get to this point. Unless you’re actively trying for a baby with a consenting partner, birth control is a must.
• Not taking birth control without getting explicit confirmation from your partner is up for legal action.