People have a preset idea about how many children they would like to have in their families. Some put into consideration how much they can actually support, and some think about how many children they can conveniently take care of. But what happens once they've reached the number of children they want?



Enter contraceptives. Birth control plays a big part for couples who would still like to enjoy an active sex life and not worry about bringing forth an unplanned child. There are different temporary and permanent birth control methods to choose from. However, it is important that you think things through very thoroughly before deciding on a specific contraceptive method to use. You may, after all, regret your decision if you've made a bad choice.

Temporary birth control measures come in a variety of packages: pills, injectables, condoms, creams, gels, caps, and intra-uterine devices (IUDs). Contraceptive pills and birth control shots are part of the hormonal birth control method that aims to change a woman's hormone level to make the uterine environment non-conducive to fertilization and implantation. Condoms, cervical caps, spermicidal gels and creams compose the barrier method that aim to stop or block sperm from reaching a healthy egg cell. It can either collect the sperm in a certain container, or altogether kills the sperm cells. IUDs work by creating a localized inflammation in the uterus. Because of this inflammation, the body's auto-immune system will send white blood cells to combat the inflammation, and in turn kill sperm cells near the area. The favorable point for temporary contraceptive measures is that it is fully reversible. When you are ready to get pregnant, all you need to do is stop taking or using the product and give the body time to get back to its condition prior to using the contraceptive.

Permanent birth control, also called sterilization, involves a surgical procedure of tying the tubes that channel the sperm and the eggs cells. Sterilization surgeries are different for men and women, these operations include:

lFor women:

?Tubal ligation. This procedure blocks a woman's fallopian tubes. After having the tubes tied down, the egg cell cannot move from the ovary to the uterus. Just the same, the sperm cells cannot reach the egg in the fallopian tube after it has been released by the ovary because their passage is blocked as well. This procedure may be reversible, though the operation will be more complicated that tying the tubes. There are not guarantee of successful reversal of the effects of tubal ligation.

?Hysterectomy. This is a surgical operation wherein the uterus is removed. It may be partial or complete. Some doctors also remove the ovaries and the fallopian tubes along with this surgery.

lFor men:

?Vasectomy. This is a surgical operation wherein a man's vas deferens is cut or clipped to prevent healthy sperm cells from joining the semenal fluid during ejaculation. After vasectomy, sperm cells do not exit the body through the penis. They are broken down into smaller particles and absorbed back into the bloodstream. It does not affect a man's libido, and like tubal ligation, it may be reversible, but there are not guarantee of success.

Choosing the best birth control measure will depend on you. Other people may give you helpful tips and suggestions, but look for the one that works for you. Give yourself to think the decision over and then choose whether you'd like to go with temporary or permanent birth control methods.