Birth Control

Birth control is very important in the family and to the country's economic growth. Most governments are striving to implement a better birth control policies for their citizens, to ensure the future of the whole country. For you, what can you contribute on family planning?

Contraception is a term used worldwide to prevent pregnancy, similar definition for birth control. There are various types of contraception, some of which are designed for women and other for men. Some types are for permanent control and others are mostly reversible.

There are six major birth control methods. These are:
1. Sterilization (surgery)
2. Withdrawal
3. Natural family planning and
4. Abstinence
5. Barrier methods (devices)
6. Hormonal methods


Sterilization
Sterilization for male is called vasectomy. It involves surgery to close the tubes that carries the sperm preventing any entry to the vagina. In female, sterilization procedure is called tubal ligation. It is a surgical procedure which is designed to close the fallopian tubes which carries the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, does preventing pregnancy.

Withdrawal
Withdrawal birth control is the most used method worldwide after condom. This involves the removal of the erect penis from the vagina before ejaculation occurs. This will prevent any unwanted pregnancy but this method also has 43% chance of failure.

Natural Family Planning
Fertility awareness is the other term for Natural Family Planning birth control method. NFP does not involves any medication or devices to prevent pregnancies. It mainly uses the natural functions of the body such as the menstrual cycle to calculate ovulation and body temperature. To successfully apply this method, NFP prohibits any sexual activities in a specific period of time.

Abstinence
Abstinence is simply defined as refusal or refraining from any sexual activities. This method is 100% guaranteed effective in both preventing pregnancy and the transmission of different sexual diseases.

Barrier Methods
Barrier types of birth controls involves devices to prevent the sperm from entering the woman's uterus. Below are its types.
1. Male Condom. A condom is a latex rubber that is used to rolled over a penis before any sexual intercourse. This device will contain the sperm from entering the female's uterus. Failure rate is 16%.
2. Female Condom. Female condom is a 7 inch long pouch of polyurethane with two rings and is place into the vagina before sexual intercourse. It totally covers the matrix, vaginal canal and the area around the vagina.
3. Spermicides. These devices are designed to kill the sperm and usually in the form of foam, jelly and foaming tablets and vaginal suppositories.
4. Diaphragm. This device is a soft rubber dome which is stretched over a flexible ring. The dome contains a spermicidal cream or jelly which are inserted inside the vagina 's cervix for a specific time before sexual intercourse.
5. Cervical Cap. This device is a small cup of later rubber or plastic which is also filled with spermicidal cream or jelly. This plastic rubber is then inserted inside the vagina's cervix.
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Hormonal Methods
Hormonal birth control methods involves medication drugs such as pills, patch, shot, ring or implants. It prevents the woman's ovaries from releasing an egg in its monthly cycle. This process will thicken the cervical mucus making it difficult for the sperm to reach and penetrate the egg. This method does not give any protection against any transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
Types of Hormonal methods:
- Pills
- Depo-Provera
- Vaginal Ring
- Lunelle
- Intra-Uterine Device
- Birth Control Patch


These methods are proven effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies but definitely not 100% accurate