Birth Control - Condoms

This is the first in a series of posts that will give an overview of the different (reversible) forms of birth control. I will eventually make another post about the permanent forms, I just haven't done much research on them yet, so if you want to nag me about it feel free and I might get it posted faster.

First of all, it is important to mention that none of these methods are 100% effective (and their effectiveness decreases if you don't use them right, so read the instructions!). The only way to be absolutely sure you will not get an STD or get pregnant is to not have sex. Therefore, if you are sexually active, it is in your best interests to have only one sexual partner (and to be sure that you are their only sexual partner) in order to decrease your chances of getting STDs. It is also a good idea to think about what you would do if you (or your partner) got pregnant. The chances may be low, but it's always better to have a plan.

These days, with so many options available to pregnant women, the possibility of getting an STD is far scarier than getting pregnant, and condoms are the only method of birth control that prevent STDs, though all of them will prevent pregnancy.

Condoms are probably the most widely known method there is, though I am always surprised at how little education people seem to get on even this method (or maybe everyone besides me slept through health class?). These are usually easily obtainable for free from high school nurses or medical clinics, and they are a barrier method, so they do protect from STDs as well as pregnancy (and will be even more effective at preventing pregnancy if you get ones with spermicide).

First of all, be sure to check the expiry date on the package (they lose elasticity over time), secondly read the instructions and keep them in a safe place. The biggest mistake I see people making all the time is keeping condoms in their back pocket or their wallet - girls, I would suggest you keep a couple in your purse in case your guy pulls one out from one of these places. The heat and friction could cause them to wear out and therefore be useless.

I can't stress this last point enough - read and follow the instructions on the package (they are usually on each individual condom wrapper). If you do not put it on correctly (especially if you do not pinch the tip to get the air out and leave room for the sperm) it will likely break, thus rendering it useless.

You can also get female condoms. These have a ring at each end, one is inserted into the vagina and the other serves to keep the condom open for easy access. Besides that, they are much the same. Do not, however, use the male and female condom together (or use two male condoms at once, for that matter) because the friction could cause one or both of them to break.

And finally... never use the same condom twice. You're just increasing the chances of it breaking.

A missed period doesn't always mean pregnancy

This is another question I come across all the time. Girls who haven't had sex wondering if they're pregnant because they missed their periods - or girls who have missed a period but had a negative pregnancy test wondering what is wrong.

First of all, pregnancy tests cannot have a false positive. You can have a false negative if the hormones haven't had time to build up, but if it's positive then the hormones are definitely there and you are definitely pregnant. Make sure you're taking the test within the time frame noted in the instructions (usually 4 days before your expected period, at most) and if it's negative, wait a week and try again. Also make sure you read the instructions before using it and make sure you fully understand what means positive and what means negative. The ones I used said two lines were positive, but that the lines might not necessarily be dark - and in my experience people tend to wonder if that light second line still means it's positive (it does).

Now that I've gotten that part out of the way...

If you've missed your period you should go to the doctor. If you're pregnant, you'll want to let your doctor know anyways - if you're not, you have to figure out why you're missing your period.

There are many common things other than pregnancy that can make you miss your period:

• Suddenly losing or gaining weight
• Stress
• Certain medications (mainly tranquilizers)
• Baing a heavy smoker
• Hormonal birth control methods
  

If you are on the pill it could be that the brand you are using is too low in estrogen, and your doctor may prescribe another one. If you were on the pill but are no longer using it, your body may just need time to adjust. Birth control methods that suppress ovulation (Norplant, Depo-provera) tend to also suppress menstruation.

And lastly if you are an older woman, you could just be starting menopause - in which case your periods are going to come and go and be as heavy or as light as they please. So you might want to keep some emergency supploes in your purse.