Birth Control Methods

Sex can be a whole lot of fun, and it can be a really important part of a relationship between two people. But, if those two people are a man and a woman, there's always the risk of somebody getting pregnant, and suddenly one night of fun can turn into a much bigger deal.

If you are a woman, you may want to have a child at some point, but it is a huge responsibility for someone at a young age who is not ready and does not want to raise a baby. But even though only women can get pregnant, the father will also have to be responsible for raising the child. In the worst case, a man will be forced to pay child support. Having a child before you're ready can get in the way of living life the way you want. But the possibility of getting pregnant doesn't mean that sex has to be any less fun, it just means that you have to learn a thing or two about how to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Everyone has a birth control method or combination of methods that they prefer, but some ways are better than others.

The most important thing to remember about any kind of birth control is that it only works if you do it right. That's why it's so important to get to know which method works best for you, and how it works.

First, if you're going to have sex, the best method of birth control is to use a condom. Condoms are cheap, they're easy to come by, and you don't need to talk to a doctor to get them. Plus, can keep them around for a while until the right time comes along. Even better, unlike most other birth control methods, a condom can also help protect you from the other big risk that comes from sex: sexually transmitted diseases. The condom works because it creates a barrier between the penis and the vagina, so sperm can't get through. To put it on just start at the tip of the penis and roll it all the way down. After he comes, the guy should pull out while he's still hard so the condom doesn't fall off. Throw the condom away and do it all over again. Never use the same condom more than once.

Of course, there are other things you can do besides just vaginal sex. You can go down on each other, use your hands, and have anal sex - anything that keeps the sperm and vagina separate. Remember, there's a whole lot of fun two people can have together that doesn't involve intercourse. On those unlucky occasions when you can't find a condom in time or you just want to be as safe as possible, it isn't a bad idea at all to satisfy each other in different ways.

Some people might tell you that since a woman gets pregnant when sperm finds its way into the vagina, if a guy pulls out just before he's about to come, then everything will be alright. Not only is this no fun, but pulling out just doesn't work that well. That doesn't stop millions of people from doing it. It's not exactly clear why this goes wrong, but some people say it's because, before a guy actually comes, there's usually a little bit of sperm that trickles out that he may not know about. Plus, it's not always easy to stop in time.

One kind of birth control that doesn't involve anything you have to buy is the rhythm method. Basically, there are times of the month when a woman is not likely to get pregnant. If you have sex only during these times, or use a condom on less safe days, it can work pretty well. For most people, it works about 3 out of 4 times. Still that's not very safe, and it is pretty complicated to keep track of the right days. But for people who don't want to use other methods of birth control, it's better than nothing.

Like the condom, a diaphragm is just something that you use to keep the sperm from getting too far upstream. In this case, it's a small dome-shaped piece of latex/rubber that the woman puts inside of her. Usually, when you use a diaphragm, it's a good idea to use a spermicidal, or sperm-killing jelly or foam just to be extra sure that any sperm that comes into contact with the barrier is killed. It's a good method to use for some women who can't or don't want to go on the pill and it's pretty effective when used with spermicide. One down side is that a girl is going to need to think ahead and slip off to a bathroom for a minute to get the thing in before having sex, and you can't just buy one at a gas station like a condom. But, for people who don't like the feel of a condom between them and their partner, a diaphragm can work well when used correctly.

For both diaphragms and condoms, if you're going to use lube, it's important not to use an oil-based lube (like Vaseline), because it can make latex products fall apart - instead it's best to use a water-based lube like KY.

One of the most popular methods, next to the condom, is the birth control pill. These basically work by tricking a woman's body into thinking she's already pregnant, because a woman's body naturally can only have one child at a time. The pill does this by changing levels of certain hormones in a woman's body, which can have some side effects. Some women gain weight. Sometimes it makes people feel sick or depressed. Doctors say you shouldn't smoke while you are on the pill. One big downside is that you have to remember to take it every day in order for it to work right. You will need to get a prescription from your doctor to get the pill.

There's also a patch you can wear that works a lot like the pill. It's like a nicotine patch that a woman can stick on her shoulder, or on her butt. You have to wear it all the time and put a new one on every week.

Depo Provera works basically the same way but instead of taking a pill, you get a shot every three months from your doctor. This means you don't have to remember to take a pill every day. It also can have some of the same side effects as the pill, such is gaining weight.

The ring is a flexible ring that the woman puts in her vagina for three weeks at a time. After three weeks, she takes it out, has her period, and puts it back in a week later. If you're using it right, the ring works better than 99% of the time. It has some possible side effects a lot like the pill and the patch.

An IUD, or intrauterine device, is a T-shaped piece of plastic that a doctor puts inside a woman's uterus so that she won't get pregnant. Like most of these methods, it doesn't protect against diseases, but it is about 99% effective as birth control, and you don't have to remember to do anything in order for it to work. Once it goes in, you don't have to worry about it, and it can stay in for a year or more. Doctors say that it's not best for teenagers because it's possible to get some nasty infections. Also, it may make premenstrual cramps worse and could cause bleeding between periods.

If you've already had sex without using birth control, or have had a condom break or fall off, you can take the 'morning after pill,' also called "Emergency Contraception". You can get it without a prescription in some states. It's only good if you use it within three days after you had unprotected sex, but it should be taken as soon as possible.

Except if you're using a condom, you should talk to a doctor to see which of these methods would be best for you and your partner. It might seem like having to talk about birth control with the other person in your bed takes all the fun out of sex, but it's a whole lot better than the conversation you could be having if you have to deal with an unexpected pregnancy.

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