Birth Control :: Contraceptives, Birth Control Essays

What exactly is birth control? Birth control means things that can be done to ensure that pregnancy only happens if and when wanted. Nowadays there are a great variety of ways to assure birth control. However, there is only one way that can be considered 100 percent secure. The more it is known about birth control options, the better chances of avoiding an unwanted pregnancy and reducing the risks of getting a sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The only guaranteed option of birth control is abstinence. Abstaining from having sexual intercourse will ensure that pregnancy does not occur and also prevents sexually transmitted infections. People may find it difficult to abstain for long periods of time and tend to end their abstinence without being prepared to protect themselves against pregnancy or venereal diseases. Many choose outer course which is sex play without vaginal intercourse. For others, it is sex play with no penetration at all. It is a 100% effective against pregnancy unless pre-ejaculate or sperm gets onto the vulva or into the vagina. Outer course however, frequently leads to intercourse, therefore another form of birth control and protection from infection has to be used. The most commonly used methods of birth control are the condom and the pills. The pill is taken once a day and a pack should be completed every month. Combination pills contain estrogen and progestin. Others are progestin-only. Pills contain hormones that work in different ways. The condoms are a sheath made of thin latex or plastic to cover the penis before intercourse to keep sperm from joining egg. No matter how old one is , it is very important to use condoms with another method of birth. There are a large variety of birth control options in the market these days. These options include the patch, the ring, and the shot. The shot, of the hormone progestin, is applied in the arm or buttock every 12 weeks to, prevent release of egg or, prevent fertilized egg from implanting in uterus. The patch a thin plastic places on the skin of the buttocks, stomach, upper outer arm, or upper torso once a week for three weeks in a row. The ring is a small, flexible hoop inserted deep into the vagina for three weeks in a row and taken out the fourth week. The Ring protects against pregnancy by releasing estrogen and progestin.