Are You Ready For This?

BIRTH CONTROL PART 1

By Bonnie Bach

     Sisters and brothers; Now's the time to get down to the real nitty gritty of what goes in can pop out!

     Many sisters and brothers who engage in sexual intercourse do not deal with the problems of pregnancy until after it happens.  Let's get familiar with methods of birth control.

                                        VOO-DOO

     It's amazing what people tried to do to prevent pregnancy.  One method was for women, after intercourse, to go to the nearest graveyard at night and walk over a grave 3 times, stepping in the same direction.  When the graveyard wasn't handy the woman would hold her breath at the momant of climax.  If she failed at this, she could immediately sneeze many times afterwards.  These methods arose from the ancient ritual practices that men and women used to control their bodies and influence health, referred to as sympathetic magic.  The idea is similar to voo-do.  Stopping of the breath at the moment of climax is basically an attempt to deny the infant air.  Likewise sneezing symbolizes an attempt to expel the semen from the womens body.

                                        ABORTIONS

     There are basically two kinds of birth control:  abortions and contraceptions.  An abortion is when the fetus is detached from the wall of the woman's uterus and then is expelled.  Contraceptions are used to prevent conception by killing reproductive cells and or interfering with their coming together.

                                        I.U.D.

     The various kinds of contraceptives available for sisters are the pill, IUD's, rhythm, diaphragms, and foams.  Birth control for brothers are condoms or withdrawing.  Sterilization is available to both sisters and brothers.  IUD's (intrauterine contraceptive device) or coils, were first used by Bedoins to prevent their camels from getting pregnant.  The first working IUD was developed in the U.S. by Dr. Jack Lippes, known as the "Lippes; Loop."  This IUD (about an inch long) is straightened out of its coiled shape when loaded into its inserter and regains original shape when inserted into the uterine cavity.  Two threads, attached to the loop, dangling through the cervix opening, allows the woman to check her IUD by feeling the threads.  The IUD works in two ways.  One it prevents the fertilization of an egg so no pregnancy occurs.  The IUD interferes with the muscular balance of the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes.  The IUD's effect on the uterus and tubal muscles disrupt the sperm to be transported up the tubes and the ovum down towards the uterus.  An abnormally high concentration of macrophages are body cells that attack invading cells such as bacteria, by phagocytosis.  These phagocytosis are cells that swallow other cells and destroy them.  Microphages normally do not exist in the uterine cavity and their presence can destroy a fertilized egg.

     Spotting and irregular periods often occur after an IUD is inserted and painful cramps that occur can be the result of the IUD being out of place.  In some cases the IUD slips up too far and removal is very difficult or impossible.  Thus, the woman may never be able to get pregnant.  Although there are many disadvantages, the IUD is inexpensive, and once inserted all you have to do is check the threads, making sure the coil hasn't been expelled.  Having a failure rate of 1 to 2%, the coil is one of the most popular birth control methods.

                                        THE PILL

     The "pill" works by preventing production of the eggs by the ovaries.  After menstruation the pituitary gland stimulates the ovaries to produce another egg.  Around the 14th day of this cycle the egg escapes from the ovaries which may or may not result in pregnancy.  Birth control pills temporarily stop this process.  No egg is released, and fertilization cannot take place without the egg.  The result is no pregnancy.

     The "pill" contains enough progesterone that causes the cervical mucus to become thick and impenetrable, so sperm cells are unable to enter the uterus.  Progesterone also disrupts the growth of the uterine lining, making it so thin that if by chance ovulation does occur, the egg cannot settle and grow.

     Many women have side effects from taking the pill.  Nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps happen, which can be avoided by taking the pill after dinner, before sleep, with milk, or different pills.  The pill may cause the body to retain water.  This sometimes leads to dizziness, blurred vision or severe headaches.  A change in the pill or a restricted water intake may avoid this.  Some women experience spotting, bleeding, vaginal itching, jaundice, GIANT freckles on the face, and blood clotting.  There have been a few cases where a blood vessel leading to or from the brain is ruptured.  This is known as a stroke.  It's believed that the pill produces cellular changes that increase the risk of cervical cancer, but might also provide a protective effect against uterine and breast cancer.

     Positive factors of the pill are that sometimes it regulates periods and control over active hormones.  It's almost 100% effective.  Even if a pill is forgotten, it is still the most foolproof contraceptive. A complete medical history and examination is done before receiving the pill.  It's inexpensive, but the risks might be costly.

                                        DIAPHRAGMS

     The diaphragm is a plate of thin, pliable rubber fitted so it covers the woman's cervix.  Spermicidal jelly used with the diaphragm kills sperm that get past the diaphragm.  For extra protection this jelly is of the utmost importance. The diaphragm can be placed in up to six hours before intercourse and kept in 8 to 10 hours after wards for effectiveness.  When using the diaphragm a small amount of the jelly is placed inside it. Each time the woman has intercourse the jelly has to be replaced on the diaphragm. This can be done without removing the diaphragm by using an applicator.

     The diaphragm is about 94% effective. but many women using the diaphragm have gotten pregnant, for various reasons.  Either it was improperly put in, the cream was forgotten, it wasn't left in for a long enough period of time, or the woman needed to have it refitted to her cervix.  You may need to change the size of the diaphragm, and it should be checked every one or two years to insure a proper fit.

                                                  Part II next issue