Let's Talk Birth Control!!!

Part of being a sexually active individual is ensuring that you engage in healthy, safe sex. This means something different for everyone. Maybe you're on the Pill, maybe you have an IUD, maybe you do a voodoo chant to keep the sperm and the egg from meeting (although I would highly discourage that last one...). The method you choose is up to you! Allow me to introduce you to some of the methods out there. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and all information listed below is my opinion.

Let's start with the obvious...abstinence. As I'm sure you learned in health or biology class, abstinence is the only 100% effective method of birth control. There are others I'll describe below that are pretty darn close to 100% effective but even methods that are 99% effective still have room for error. Let's put it this way, if you're not having sex, you absolutely cannot get pregnant because it takes two to make a third!

Probably the most common method is the condom. The great thing about condoms is that you can pretty much get them anywhere and if you're a college student, they're basically thrown at you from RAs and people from health services. Condoms come is every color, texture, and flavor (yes, flavor) you could imagine so there's really no reason not to like them! They also make a female

Ooooh! Pretty colors!

condom which is basically a plastic bag that you stick in your vagina. They really aren't very effective so you shouldn't be relying solely on a female condom. I have no idea if stores carry them because they really aren't a crowd favorite. I'm sure you can find them on Amazon because Amazon literally sells everything under the sun.

The patch is exactly what it sounds like. Basically, you stick it to your skin and your skin will absorb hormones into your bloodstream that stop ovulation and make your uterus uninhabitable for sperm. You can pretty much stick the patch anywhere although I think most people put it on their butt or someplace that's usually hidden. It has the same color as a bandaid but despite this, it's pretty visible if you have it on, say, your arm.

The Pill is a female favorite. Personally, hormonal birth control freaks me out so I've opted out of anything that changes my body from doin' it's natural thang. There are a lot of different types of pills that involve different hormones so I suggest talking to your doctor to see what's right for you. The Pill can be tricky for some women because you have to remember to take it at the same time each day. Take extra precautions if you forget to take it one day or accidentally skip a few days as this can potentially cause a pregnancy if unprotected sex occurs during the same time. The Pill also clears acne and improve period cramps so if you're looking to kill two birds with one stone, this method would be a good choice for you!

Some women prefer to get the Depo-Provera shot which is a injection you have to go to the doctor's for every three months. I mean, if going to the doctor often to get a needle in your arm is your thing, go for it! The injection contains hormones which prevent ovulation and creates thick cervical mucus that sperm cannot get through. Yum.

The sponge looks like a mini inner tube that you would see at a water park. It covers your cervix and constantly releases spermicide which prevents sperm from moving. I'm not gonna lie, the sponge seems pretty freakin' weird but I guess to each her own, right?!

The NuvaRing is a tiny ring that you insert into your vagina. It constantly releases hormones that once again, prevent ovulation and thicken that cervical mucus. Hope you've eaten lunch already.

Both the cervical cap and diaphragm cover your cervix. I'm sure you can't feel anything once it's inserted correctly but both look really intimidating.

"Hey, I'm not so scary!"

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a tiny little T-shaped plastic thing that is inserted into your uterus. This can only be done by a doctor. This method is non-hormonal and super effective! You also can have the same IUD for multiple years, too, which is great if you don't wanna ever really thing about birth control! I've heard that this can cause heavier periods and cramping though...

There next two methods I would advise against. The first is the "au naturale" family planning method. This can be done a number of ways. Some women track their cycles, abstaining from sex on "risk days" while some women observe their vaginal discharge (I'm sorry, WHAT?!) on a daily basis avoiding days that the mucus is sticky...? It seems pretty friggin' weird but some women swear by it. Another disadvantage in this method (besides constantly feeling your discharge) is the fact that you have to specifically avoid having sex for a few days out of the month and that's no fun.

Whatever you do, please don't rely on the pull out method. Some guys believe that they can pull penis out in time before they ejaculate and if that isn't risky enough, precum can actually contain sperm which means even if the guy does pull out in time, you could still get pregnant and that's no fun (unless you're ready to have a kid of course)!

Now I want to hear what you guys think! What methods do you use? Why do you like your method? Let me know in the comments or by sending me an email at septatesisters@yahoo.com!