Archive for the ‘Birth Control’ Category
Nov
16
Posted by Admin
What Is It?
Emergency contraception is a way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. Often called the morning-after pill, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are hormone pills that can be taken up to 72 hours after having unprotected sex.
Most states require a doctor to prescribe emergency contraception; however, recently some states have allowed nonphysicians to provide ECPs. Either way it is important to seek medical help and guidance.
Emergency contraception is most effective when it is taken as soon as possible after intercourse. But some studies have shown that it can still work up to 120 hours after intercourse.
The intrauterine device (IUD) can sometimes be used as a form of emergency contraception. This is rarely prescribed for teens, though.
How Does It Work?
In high doses, the hormones estrogen and progesterone can prevent pregnancy. The number of pills taken depends on the type of pill being used. The first dose of pills should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse followed by a second dose of pills 12 hours later.
The hormones may work in a number of ways to prevent pregnancy. They may delay ovulation (the release of an egg during a girl's monthly cycle), affect the movement and function of the sperm, affect the development of the uterine lining, and disrupt the actual fertilization process.
ECPs are less effective if fertilization has already occurred. If implantation has already occurred and a girl is pregnant, ECPs will not interrupt the pregnancy.
How Well Does It Work?
About 1 or 2 in every 100 women who use ECPs will become pregnant despite taking ECPs within 72 hours after having unprotected sex. The effectiveness of emergency contraception methods is calculated differently from the effectiveness of other contraceptives because of how they are used. Emergency contraception is the only type of contraception method that is used after unprotected sex.
Emergency contraception is most effective when taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Because of this, the name morning-after pill is somewhat misleading: Ideally the pill should be taken immediately after sex, without waiting for the next morning.
Emergency contraception will not prevent pregnancy if a girl has unprotected sex after taking the ECPs.
Because emergency contraception does not prevent all pregnancies, a woman should see her doctor if she doesn't get her next expected period after taking it.
Protection Against STDs
Emergency contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Couples having sex must always use condoms to protect against STDs even when using another method of birth control.
Abstinence (not having sex) is the only method that always prevents pregnancy and STDs. If a girl has been forced to have unwanted sex, she should see a doctor right away to be tested for STDs. That's because it's important to treat some STDs immediately before they develop into bigger problems.
Possible Side Effects
The larger-than-normal dose of hormone causes some side effects in many of the women receiving emergency contraception pills. These side effects include nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, and headache. Such side effects are usually minor, and most improve within 1 to 2 days. A girl's menstrual period may be temporarily irregular after taking ECPs.
Who Uses It?
Emergency contraception is not recommended as a regular birth control method. Instead, it is used for emergencies only. If a couple is having sex and the condom breaks or slips off, if a diaphragm or cervical cap slips out of place, or if a girl forgot to take her birth control pills for 2 days in a row, a girl may want to consider using emergency contraception. It is also available to teens who are forced to have unprotected sex.
Emergency contraception is not recommended for girls who know they are pregnant.
How Do You Get It?
In most cases, a doctor must prescribe ECPs. Many health clinics also provide them. You must go as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals keeps a list of providers who prescribe emergency contraception. You can find the name of someone in your area by calling their hotline at (888) NOT 2 LATE.
How Much Does It Cost?
Depending on the types of pills that are prescribed, the emergency contraceptive pill costs between $8 and $35. Many health insurance plans cover the cost of emergency contraception and family planning clinics (such as Planned Parenthood) may charge much less.
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Nov
16
Posted by Admin
One of the toughest decisions that a lot of teens face is whether to have sex. If people decide to have sex, it means they must also take responsibility to protect themselves from unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
In the United States, the teenage pregnancy rate is higher than in many other countries. Approximately 1 million teens become pregnant every year and most of them don't plan on becoming pregnant. In addition to preventing unplanned pregnancies, people who have sex must protect themselves from STDs. For those having sex, condoms must always be used every time to protect against STDs.
The most effective method of birth control is abstinence, which means no sexual intercourse. Abstinence is the only way that couples can be 100% sure they will not have to deal with pregnancy or STDs.
For couples who do choose to have sex, there are many effective birth control methods to choose from. Check the articles below to learn some important information about different methods of birth control. You may be surprised — some popular methods aren't as effective as people might think.
* Birth Control Patch
* Birth Control Pill
* Birth Control Ring
* Birth Control Shot
* Cervical Cap
* Condom
* Diaphragm
* Emergency Contraception (Morning-After Pill)
* IUD
* Rhythm Method
* Spermicide
* Withdrawal
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What u Need To Do...Teen pregnancy
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Nov
15
Posted by Admin
Teens
Teenage pregnancy is defined as an underaged girl becoming pregnant with a baby. While women technically stay in their teens until the age of 20, the term is restricted to those under the age threshold of legal adulthood, which is 18 in most of the United States, and 16 in much of the rest of the world.
The average age of menarche (first menstrual period) in the United States is 12.5, though this figure varies by ethnicity[1] and weight, and first ovulation occurs only irregularly until after this. The average age of menarche has been declining and is continuing to do so. Whether fertility leads to early pregnancy depends on a number of factors, both societal and personal. Worldwide, rates of teenage pregnancy range from 143 per 1000 in sub-Saharan Africa to 2.9 per 1000 in South Korea.[2][3]
Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. However, there are additional medical concerns for younger mothers, particularly those under 15 and those living in developing countries.[4] For mothers between 15 and 19, age in itself is not a risk factor, but additional risks may be associated with socioeconomic factors.[5]
Data supporting teenage pregnancy as a social issue in developed countries include lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer "life outcomes" in children of teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside of marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. For these reasons, there have been many studies and campaigns which attempt to uncover the causes and limit the numbers of teenage pregnancies.[6] In other countries and cultures, particularly in the developing world, teenage pregnancy is usually within marriage and does not involve a social stigma.
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Several studies have examined the socioeconomic, medical, and psychological impact of pregnancy and parenthood in teens. Life outcomes for teenage mothers and their children vary; other factors, such as poverty or social support, may be more important than the age of the mother at the birth. Many solutions to counteract the more negative findings have been proposed. Teenage parents can use family and community support, social services and child-care support to continue their education and get higher paying jobs as they progress with their education.
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an illness caused by an infectious pathogen that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. Increasingly, the term sexually transmitted infection (STI) is used, as it has a broader range of meaning; a person may be infected, and may potentially infect others, without showing signs of disease. In addition, "disease" seems to have much more of a negative connotation than "infection." Some STIs can also be transmitted via the needles used in IV drug use, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding. Sexually transmitted diseases have been well-known for hundreds of years.
Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of pregnancy or childbirth. Contraception may refer specifically to mechanisms which are intended to reduce the likelihood of the fertilization of an ovum by a spermatozoon.
The history of birth control began with the discovery of the connection between coitus and pregnancy. The oldest forms of birth control included coitus interruptus, pessaries, and the ingestion of herbs that were believed to be contraceptive or abortifacient. The earliest record of birth control use is instructions on creating a contraceptive pessary from Ancient Egypt.
Different methods of birth control have varying characteristics. Condoms, for example, are the only method that provides significant protection from sexually transmitted diseases. Because of the sexual and ethical nature of the subject, cultural and religions attitudes on birth control vary significantly.
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Sexually transmitted disease
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