ProLife

Birth Control
This material appears courtesy of Silent Voices

Methods of Birth Control, continued...

What's left?
There are a number of options available. There are "barrier" methods, as well as "natural family planning" methods.

A "barrier" method uses a product that prevents sperm from reaching an ovum. It does not interfere with your body's hormonal system in any way. There are a variety of "barrier methods" available, including the condom, diaphragm and cervical cap. They can be used alone, but are most often used with spermicidal foams or jellies to enhance their contraceptive effectiveness.

There are some potential side effects with these methods, especially when used with spermicides. Some people are allergic to the chemicals used in making these contraceptive compounds.

New research also indicates that women who are not exposed to their husband's sperm before the conception of their first child are at a greater risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. There is strong evidence that the father's semen prepares the woman's immune system to somehow "recognize" the baby and exempt it from attack as a foreign object.4 (Preeclampsia is a condition that can cause serious complications. For mothers, symptoms include elevated blood pressure, protein loss in the urine and water retention. Babies can suffer intrauterine growth retardation, as well as death either before or shortly after delivery.)

"Natural family planning" is the last, impermanent birth control method available. It is very effective when practiced consistently. It involves learning the signs of fertility the female body exhibits before, during and immediately after ovulation, and requires that the couple abstain from sexual intercourse during that fertile time.

Sterilization
The most drastic and permanent form of birth control involves surgery to remove or alter the female or male anatomy so that conception is no longer possible. For the man, it entails removing segments of his "vas deferens," which will prevent sperm from leaving the testes. This is known as a "vasectomy." When a woman has a "tubal ligation" portions of her fallopian tubes are removed, thus inhibiting sperm from reaching the ovum. Both of these procedures are fairly simple and usually do not cause serious complications. They should also not interfere with normal sexual function.

While there has been improvement in the techniques used to reverse these procedures when a couple changes their mind about their fertility, there is no guarantee that a reversal would be possible in your individual case. These procedures should be considered permanent, and should only be performed when you and your partner are sure that this is what you both want to do.