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Teen's
Birth Control - Which is Best for you?
With all the contraception methods to choose from, teenagers often have difficulty deciding which one to use.
Before we lay out all the options, bear in mind that there is no one solution for everyone. You can only choose the one which will work best for you, and that choice would depend on various factors.
How protected do you want to be? How regularly do you engage in sex? How much trouble are you willing to go through? Can you tolerate side effects? You must consider all these questions before choosing your method.
Failure of contraception usually happens due to improper or inconsistent use of the method. Considering this, you should choose the method which you feel most comfortable using regularly.
Here are the most effective and popular methods available today:
1. Abstinence or Outercourse. This simply means not having intercourse (penis does not enter the vagina). Interestingly, this will allow you and your partner to be more intimate and enjoy each other without actual intercourse. These help prevent passing of sexually transmitted diseases and of course, pregnancy.
2. Barrier Methods. These are placed either over your man's penis (while erect) - condoms, or inside your vagina - diaphragm and cervical cap.
3. Fertility Awareness Based (FAB) Methods or Natural Family Planning. Using this method would require you to estimate your fertile days through your usual menstrual cycle and avoiding sex (or using other control methods) during these days.
4. Implants (Norplant). These are tubes are the size of a matchstick placed underneath the skin that contain a hormone that will prevent pregnancy for a span of five years.
5. Injectables (Depo Provera). These are shots of the hormone progestin with will prevent you from being pregnant for a maximum of three months.
6. Intrauterine devices. IUD are plastic T-shaped tubes that contain copper or a hormone that prevents pregnancy. It is placed inside your uterus where it remains for one to ten years maximum.
7. Oral Contraceptives. These involves pills taken daily which contain hormones that will prevent you from conceiving. Today's pills are effective and safe, provided they are used accordingly.
8. Spermicides. These can come in the form of foams, jellies, creams and suppositories. They are inserted deep inside your vagina shortly before engaging in sexual intercourse.
9. Ligation. This involves the permanent blockage of your fallopian tubes (passageway bittern the uterus and the ovary) through surgical methods.
10. Contraceptive patch. These transdermal patches are worn on the skin and changed weekly. Its effect is much like that of pills as it uses the hormones estrogen and progestin to keep you from getting pregnant.
All of these methods for contraception are proven safe if used as directed. Combining the effect of condoms (worn on your man) and any other methods can decrease your chances of conceiving and prevent you from acquiring STDs as well. Through all these, remember that the main ingredient for successful contraception is knowing which one best fits you, your needs and your personality.
Losing your Virginity
Peer Pressure
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