February 10, 2011

Clear Concept: The Contraceptive Choices That Women Are Unaware Of

Filed under: birth control options — Tags: birth control, birth control benefits, birth control effects, birth control methods, birth control options, Birth Control Pill, birth control types, condoms, evra patch, hormonal contraceptive, IUD, NuvaRing — Janine @ 11:03 am

Birth Control has evolved over the past decade to rectify two significant problems: abnormal bleeding and missing pills. Instead of switching to the newly improved contraception available, women are nonetheless sticking to more common methods of birth control mainly including birth control pills, condoms and withdrawal. Women are uninformed of the many non-contraceptive benefits offered by the different types of birth control available today.

birth control options One example would be the advantages of the birth control pill, aside from contraception, the pill cuts the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers, relieves heavy bleeding and painful menstruation. Women are still wary to use hormonal methods of contraception due to exaggerated misinformation about the risks involved.

There are 4 different types of oral contraceptives:

Low dose – contraceptives that carry low levels of ethinyl estradiol and progestin.
Combined oral contraceptives – contraceptives that contain twenty to thirty micrograms of ethinyl estradiol with progestin.
Progestin drospirenone (DRSP) – used in Yaz and Yasmin, drospirenone has the same pharmacological effects of that of natural progesterone thus it also has slight diuretic properties. Yaz has 24/4 formulation meaning users take active pills for twenty four days and inactive pills for four days; during the four days menstruation occurs.
Extended cycle – contraceptives that allow women to opt out of menstruating, for either convenience or health reasons. With this option, women take active pills for over two cycles while omitting the hormone free interval which induces menstruation. The extended cycle has the same risks as that of the general 21/7 cycle.

The theoretical efficiency of oral contraception is not often lived up to in the real world due to regular missed pills. Studies show that up to forty percent of women often miss pills in any birth control regimen causing unwanted pregnancy and unscheduled bleeding. The transdermal patch and vaginal ring were created to minimize these problems. The patch (Evra, Ortho-Janssen) releases hormones into the skin every day for a week. The ring (Nuvaring, Merck) delivers hormones daily for one month. Both contraceptives are extremely effective and related to improved bleeding although there had been concerns about the dosage of estrogen continuously being delivered to the body. There are concerns regarding the Evra patch which dispatches more estrogen than the regular patch. There had also been warnings issued by the FDA and Health Protection Branch (HPB) about the increased risk of thrombosis associated with the patch. Hence the (vaginal ring is seen as the most competent in cycle control and consistent with the lowest rate of unscheduled bleeding. In spite of the favorable points, girls are not open to the way the ring is self administered (insertion into the vagina).

The intrauterine device continues to be overlooked by its poor image and is still unknown for its obliging efficacy and safety. Overshadowed by false ideas of increased pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility, patients and physicians are oblivious of the benefits of the intrauterine device.

Copper IUD – Can be used for thirty months and are believed to be 96% to 98% effective. Failure rates are about 1% and the rates of discontinuation are around 10% – 15% mostly due to increased bleeding and pain.
Mirena IUD – This IUD can be used up to five years with the highest efficacy rates of 99.8%.

The effectiveness of the use of the intrauterine device is comparable to that of surgical female sterilization. Aside from contraception, other advantages offered by the IUD include significant decrease in dysmenorrhea and bleeding. Insertion is a procedure done at a clinical office.

Evidently contraceptives are still being developed and new developments continue to be introduced to the general public. As the number of contraceptive options increase, the challenge lingers to increase awareness and reassure patients of the safety of these options.

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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October 19, 2010

Contraceptive Alternatives – Hormonal Contraceptives – The Patch

Filed under: birth control types — Tags: birth control types, condoms, contraceptive, hormonal contraceptive, irregular bleeding, menstrual cycle, the patch — Candace @ 10:25 am

The patch is a thin, beige patch that sticks to your skin like a band-aid. Each patch contains one week’s worth of progesterone and estrogen hormones that is released into the skin.

Since 2001 the patch has been used throughout the States. The failure rate is one in one hundred women, per year. An advantage of using this type of contraceptive is that there are fewer side effects like nausea and vomiting. The patch may cause skin irritation and can be detached without being noticed by activities like showering. This can alter the efficiency. The patch can be less effective for women who weigh over 198 pounds.

Just like using other hormonal contraceptives, the patch is based on the menstrual cycle. The patch should be applied the first day of the menstrual cycle, or (like the pill) the first Sunday after the cycle begins. The patch should be changed weekly for 3 weeks in a row. On the fourth week no patch should be worn, and this is when a woman’s period should begin.

The patch is not effective in protecting against STI’s. You can protect against STI’s by using condoms and the patch together. The patch also has a few side effects including irregular bleeding, breast tenderness, and mood swings. These mild side effects will likely disappear after a couple months.

The patch is not suitable for all women. Some medical conditions can make the patch less effective or dangerous. It is not recommended for women who have blood clots, high blood pressure, specific types of cancers, migraine headaches, or diabetes.

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August 9, 2010

Condoms Use Is Up, but Effectiveness Is Down

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: abortion, birth control, birth control methods, condoms, oral contraceptives, premarital sex, the pill — Candace @ 9:40 am

The myth that a girl won’t get pregnant the first time that she has sex has been broken. Virgins are very commonly using condoms the first time they have sex. The use of condoms has risen significantly, especially in premarital sex and first-time couples. This is significant because 94% of women ages 15 to 44 have had premarital sex. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of condoms has increased from 55 percent to 88 percent in less than 20 years.

This dramatic change is great news to hear, but there is a downside. Condoms still aren’t providing 100 percent protection. 50 percent of pregnancies in the USA are unintentional. It is encouraging to hear that other methods, such as the pill and other contraceptive methods are being used more often. The pill is used by 10.7 million people, and sterilization is used by 10.3 million.

Oral contraceptives fail most commonly because the contraceptive users use the pills inconstantly or otherwise incorrectly. Thankfully we have accomplished the current popularity of the birth control pill contraceptive, now all we have to do is ensure that the pills are taken properly, and consistently.

There are now IPhone and IPod applications available which provide a daily ‘pill reminder’ with a settable alarm.
As well you can set a daily alarm on your phone or make a note on your calendar.
There are some online calendars you can set to send an SMS text to your phone each day with a reminder.
Make sure to keep your medication in view.
Ask a close friend or relative to remind you

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June 21, 2010

Why Do More U.S Teens Support Rhythm Method Birth Control?

Filed under: rhythm method — Tags: birth control, conception, condoms, iPhone, rhythm birth control — Amanda @ 7:01 pm

The condom is still the most used form of contraceptive amongst teens – used by 66% of sexually active females and 71% of males – and the pill is the second most common, however the more risky method of rhythm birth control is becoming increasingly popular in sexually active teenagers between the ages of 15 – 19 (thanks to the iPhone app?). A recent government survey found that there is an increasing number of teenage girls in the U.S who say they rely on the rhythm method of birth control. The survey also reveals why teen pregnancy rates are no longer dropping. Young adult attitudes since 2002 have not changed much concerning pregnancy and birth control, but there are some notable differences in the survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rhythm birth control is essentially a way of tracking the period and noting days of ovulation and high conception risk. The idea is not to engage in sexual activity on days of ovulation. However this method is only 25% reliable as ovulation does not always occur according to a set schedule. About 17 of sexually experienced girls say they have used the rhythm method compared to the 6% back in 2002. Although they may have also used another form of birth control, it is still a concern considering that a sexually active teen who does not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within 12 months.

The survey was based on interviews with 2,800 teens 15 – 19 years old. About 42% of unmarried teens had had sex at least once in their lifetime, and of those teens, 98% reported using a method of birth control. Although these findings were the same as a survey in 2002, they do not explain why teen birth rate rose in 2005 – 2007. The only possible reason must be because of the increase in the use of rhythm method birth control, and a change in teen’s attitudes towards teen pregnancy. About 64% of teenage boys believe its okay for an unmarried girl to have a baby. This shows an 50% increase from the statistic in 2002. 70% of girls agreed that it is okay for an unmarried girl to get pregnant compared to the 65% who agreed in 2002.

One possible reason for the more liberal approach to sex and pregnancy amongst teens is that the survey was conducted in the year of several publicized pro- pregnancy incidents including Jaimie Lynn spears’ pregnancy, Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol’s pregnancy, and the release of the movie “Juno”, where a teen accidentally becomes pregnant.

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May 28, 2010

5 STI Risk Factors

Filed under: alcohol,birth control,condoms,contraceptive,STD,STI,Uncategorized — Tags: birth control, condoms, contraceptive, STD, STI — Amanda @ 1:01 am

At least one in every four Americans will contract and STI at some point in their life. STI’s are a serious health problem to adults and if they go untreated, they can cause permanent damage. Certain factors in your life will determine your risk of contracting an STI, so here are the top 5 STI risk factors –

1. Unprotected Sex – This one is a given, but it is very important. You’re more likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection if you do not use barrier methods of birth control like condoms.

2. Being Young – People between 18 and 29 are more likely to be infected with an STI than an older person. Women and men in their 20’s have the highest rates of STI’s out of any age group. This could be because young women are more susceptible to them. Their cervix’s aren’t fully developed and they are more likely to experience tearing during intercourse. Young people in general are less likley to practice safe sex by using condoms, and are more likely to have multiple partners.

3.Alcohol and drug use – People who use alcohol and drugs on regular basis may have lowered inhibitions and may be less “picky” about who they choose for a partner. Those under the influence of alcohol and drugs may be more stubborn about condom use.

4. Having multiple partners – The more partners you have the more likely you are to be exposed to STI’s. Usually people with multiple partners choose partners who have also had multiple partners. This increases the risk of your partner having contracted an STI from a different partner. Your risk increases even higher if you hire a sexual professional because the truth is they aren’t being paid to enforce safe sex with partners.

5. Relying only on Birth Control Pills – for most sexually active people their main concern is pregnancy. Lots of couples choose birth control pills as their only contraceptive method. This is 99% effective against pregnancy, but this does not protect against STI’s. Once a couple is established in using the pill as their only form of protection, they will become reluctant to use condoms. This can be because they have gotten used to a sexual routine without condoms, or perhaps because they just don’t like using them. The safest option is to use birth control pills AND condoms.

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