OK, so the title doesn’t leave much to the imagination, but I wanted to grab your attention.

It’s a fact that a few moments can lead to a few decades of parenthood. While many people desire parenthood at SOME point, almost all of us want to be able to have children when we feel we are financially and emotionally ready to support them. Qvisory is here to help you with your money, work, and health, and contraception affects all three!

For millennia, we have tried to work through the ultimate conundrum: how do you have sex without ending up with an unintended pregnancy? Different cultures have tried one or more of the following methods:

• Weasel testicles around the thigh
• Amputated foot around the neck
• Placing alligator dung in the vagina

I ask: How glad are you at this point to live in 2008, when our methods of contraception (birth control) are safe, proven, and available through almost any medical provider? 
Thrilled? Thought so!

Remember: YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR FERTILITY. Modern birth control methods (BCMs) fall into three categories. This post offers basic information about each category, and I will cover this topic in greater detail in future postings. More information on birth control methods can be found at www.plannedparenthood.org/centralwa.

To start, all birth control methods do the same things: 1) Keep sperm away from egg (prevent fertilization) either with a physical barrier or by preventing an egg from being released by the ovaries and 2) prevent a fertilized egg (zygote) from implanting in the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium), which is the medical definition of the beginning of a pregnancy. Every method comes with its own benefits and drawbacks, and the best way for you to know what will work best is to see your health care provider. For more information, I recommend you hurry into your local Planned Parenthood affiliate, the most trusted reproductive health organization in the US (we can be reached by calling 1-800-230-PLAN).

The three contraceptive categories are:

Permanent: Such as tubal ligation, copper coils, and vasectomies. These are surgical methods that disrupt part of the reproductive system to prevent sperm or eggs from reaching the opposite sex cell. They are (as the name says) permanent, and are more expensive up front.

Non-hormonal methods: Many of these are called “barrier methods,” such as male and female condoms and the “sponge” (Seinfeld’s Elaine’s preferred method). These do not involve chemicals that affect the reproductive system, but rather focus on keeping sperm away from eggs to prevent fertilization by providing a physical barrier, or by reducing the number and viability of sperm using spermicides.

Hormonal methods: Hormones (estrogen and/or progestin) that are introduced into the woman’s body, preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs, thickening the mucous normally made by the cervix to prevent sperm from entering the uterus, and making the endometrium less hospitable for a zygote to implant.

• The Pill (Many brands and kinds) Every day
• The Patch (OrthoEvra) Once a week
• The Shot (DepoProvera) Once every 3 months
• The Implant (Implanon) Once every 3 years
• The IUD/S (Mirena) Once every 5 years
• Emergency Contraceptive (EC, Plan B) For emergencies

Whatever method you choose, be sure to talk to your health care provider about and be aware of the following:

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) protection. All the hormonal methods, while great at preventing pregnancy, do not offer any protection from STIs, and we know that NO method (other than not having sex) is 100% effective. If you don’t have your and your partner’s most recent STI test results in hand at the time of intercourse, make sure you are taking steps to protect your total health, and use a barrier method like a condom to get the best protection possible. And speaking of condoms…

Correct and consistent use. Birth control methods work the best when you use them the right way, and you use them EVERY time. If you’re seriously not ready to be a parent for the first time (or again), be seriously good at using the method you choose. Practice makes perfect with every method! Whether it’s setting an alarm on your phone to take the pill at the same time every day, or rehearsing all 27 steps to use a condom correctly so you can have it on in 20 seconds (we can cover that in a future post, too), practicing sets you up for success.

Parenthood is the toughest job in the world, and one of the most rewarding, so take charge and do it on your terms. My challenge to you: get online, talk to a friend, TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, and find the best way to protect yourself (and your partner).