Many people, especially those who are conservative and religious, oppose the concept of birth control pills and any form of contraception. Aside from intervening in the natural process of procreation, the concept of contraception, if not used properly for its purpose --- may promote premarital sex, sexual promiscuity, and abortion.
However, unintended pregnancies happen each year, not just in the United States but even all over the world. There are different reasons why unintended pregnancy happens: a possible tearing of the condom, a diaphragm slipping out of position, a missed dosage of birth control pills in a row, or forgetting to use birth control due to a spur-of-the-moment passion and lovemaking, or even forced intercourse such as rape.
Studies reveal that without the aid of contraception, eight in 100 women who have had one act of unprotected intercourse during the second or third week of their cycle are likely to become pregnant. However, with the proper and timely use of emergency contraception, only two women in 100 would be in the same situation.
Emergency contraception pills (ECPs) fall into two categories: one is a combination of estrogen and progestin; and the other is a progestin-only pill. Depending on when they are taken during the menstrual cycle, ECPs can inhibit or delay ovulation; inhibit transport of the egg or sperm; or alter the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation of a fertilized egg.
ECPs, also known as the ?Morning-After Pill?, must be taken within 72 hours of the unprotected intercourse. The earlier a woman takes them within the 72-hour time period, the more effective it becomes.
These pills are taken in two doses, with the second dose taken 12 hours after the first. Each dose may entail the use of one, two, four, or even five pills depending on the brand. You need a prescription to get ECPs, although some medical providers are now writing prescriptions in advance.
In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration declared ECPs to be safe and effective. That same year, however, only 10 percent of health professionals discussed emergency birth control on a routine basis with their patients, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Forty-one percent of Americans are still unaware of the existence of ECPs. In fact, only 11 percent of women aged 18 to 44 have both heard of ECPs and know that the pills need to be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse.
Experts estimate that as many as 1.7 million of the over 3 million unintended pregnancies that happen each year in the United States could potentially be prevented by the use of ECPs. This includes as many as 800,000 pregnancies that now result in abortions.
Unintended pregnancy crosses all boundaries: age, race, ethnicity, social class. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, educated or not. All of us makes mistakes. There will always be pros and cons in everything we do. It's up to us to use our better judgment based on the situation. Consult your doctor about emergency birth control in your next visit.
When considering options to prevent pregnancy without sacrificing intercourse by abstaining, both men and women have a multitude of options. For men, the most commonly mentioned way to prevent conception would be the condom. While not always an accepted method of contraception in various territories (usually because of ridiculous cultural norms or even more ridiculous religions ones), it is among the most widely used in the world. For women, the most commonly used method would likely be birth control pills, which usually encounter the same religion-fueled objections that condoms do, but are less likely to earn a culture-inspired dislike. However, medically speaking, there might be some problems for women who regularly use birth control pills.
Birth control pills do exactly what the name implies, which is control certain aspects of the female physiology to prevent conception. For the most part, these pills are not dangerous and pose no side effects that can be seriously harmful, even if they aren't always 100% effective. However, given the unpredictable and varying nature of human bodies and the unique biochemistry of every individual human being, there are bound to be problems at one point or another. Also, not all birth control pills work on the same base formula, even if they have the same effects. These different formulas may react to certain physiologies or blood chemistry states differently, which can lead to potentially harmful and unexpected results.
Irregular menstruation is frequently cited as one of the possible side effects of birth control pills. This is likely because some of these pills work by altering the flow of hormones in the female body. While these alterations normally should not have an effect on a woman's menstrual cycle, some more sensitive bodies (or some more potent formulas) can disrupt the natural flow of the body. Usually, this is accompanied by swelling and sensitivity in the breasts, almost as if the subject was pregnant, as some observers have noted. Again, this is traceable to the effects some birth control pills have on the delicate hormonal balance of the female body.
Some types of birth control pills are also kept away from people who have or have had certain medical conditions. Some forms of birth control are not considered safe for people who have had liver tumors or liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, reproductive cancer, blood clotting, and high blood pressure. Various side effects can arise from prescribing certain types of pills to people who have had these problems, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, mood swings, depression, anxiety, and a loss of bone density. As with irregular menstruation, these have been traced back to hormonal imbalances, mainly from a sudden change in the levels of progesterone and oestrogen (not estrogen, which is a completely different hormone) in the body. It has not yet been determined why certain illnesses, combined with changes in hormone levels, bring about the above effects.
It should be noted that the above cases are considered to be rare, and birth control pills should be safe for most women to use as a contraceptive. As with any other medication, if anyone experiences sudden or unexpected effects after taking them, then a doctor should be consulted. If necessary, then different medication may be prescribed to avoid further side effects or damage.
Both Monch Bravante & Harvey D. Ong are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Monch Bravante has sinced written about articles on various topics from Abortion, Other Conditions and Health. Monch Bravante is a writer and advertising practitioner with special interest in public health issues.Want receive Updates regarding our Products,Promos and Freebies visit