NATURAL AND ARTIFICAL METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION

I. NATURAL METHODS
 METHOD ILLUSTRATION / DESCRIPTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
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Abstinence • Abstinence from sexual activity means not having  It prevents sexually  It would make for
any sexual intercourse at all. No sexual intercourse transmitted infections difficult relationships
with a member of the opposite sex means that there is (STIs).  It can cause you to lose
no chance that a man's sperm can fertilize a woman's  It prevents any motivation
egg. accidental pregnancies
• It should be noted that sexual activity such as mutual  It leads you away
masturbation and touching of the other partner's from having bad
genitals can, in some instances, transfer sperm during sexual experiences
heavy mutual foreplay possibly leading to pregnancy.

Basal Body • The basal body temperature method requires that a  No side effects  Not reliable if the
Temperature woman take her temperature every morning before she  Understanding of temperature is not
gets out of bed. A special thermometer that is more one's menstrual cycle monitored properly
accurate and sensitive than a typical oral thermometer  Cheap  Limited time of sexual
must be used, and the daily temperature variations intercourse
carefully noted. This must be done every month.  Requires effort
• To use the basal body temperature as a birth control  No STD protection
method, a woman should refrain from having sexual
intercourse from the time her temperature drops until
at least 48 to 72 hours after her temperature increases
again.

Calendar Method The calendar rhythm method to avoid pregnancy relies  No prescription  Not as reliable as other
upon calculating a woman's fertile period on the required method as some
calendar. Based upon her 12 previous menstrual  All natural woman have irregular
cycles, a woman subtracts l8 days from her shortest  Equal participation of cycle
menstrual cycle to determine her first fertile day, and partners
11 days from her longest menstrual cycle to determine
her last fertile day. She can then calculate the total
number of days during which she may ovulate. If a
woman's menstrual cycles are quite irregular from
month to month, there will be a greater number of days
during which she might become pregnant.

Lactational Lactational infertility is based upon the idea that a  98% effective (or  Breastfeeding pattern
Infertility woman cannot become pregnant as long as she is more) may be difficult to
 II. ARTIFICIAL METHODS

METHOD ILLUSTRATION / DESCRIPTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

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Birth Control Pills • The birth control pil is the most common method of  Very effective  No STD protection
hormonal contraception. The birth control pill is taken  May reduce menstrual  Requires a doctor visit
daily and most pills use a combination of estrogen and cramping and prescription
progestin hormones.  May lead to lighter  Side effects : Bleeding
• Birth control pills contain a small amount of man- periods between periods, breast
made estrogen and progestin hormones, which work to  Cost may be covered tenderness, nausea and
prevent eggs from leaving the ovaries. If there is no by your health vomiting and change in
egg to join the sperm, there is no pregnancy. Birth insurance sexual desire
control pills also make the cervical mucus thicker,  Doesn't interrupt  Must be taken daily
which keeps sperm from joining with the eggs. sexual activity

Birth Control The birth control patch is another type of hormonal  May reduce menstrual  No STD protection
Patch contraceptive. The patch is thin and beige, like a cramping  Side effects: Bleeding
bandage, and contains the same hormones as birth  May lead to lighter between periods, breast
control pills. periods tenderness, nausea and
 Applied only once a vomiting and change in
week sexual desire
 Cost may be covered  Requires a doctor visit
by your health and prescription
insurance
Birth Control • The same hormone in the birth control shot can be  Long-lasting  No STD protection
Implants delivered in an implant.  Very effective  Irregular bleeding for
 Can be used while the first 6-12 months
• The implant is a small, matchstick-sized device breastfeeding  May cause longer,
implanted beneath the skin of the upper arm. A doctor  Cost may be covered heavier periods
will numb a small area of your arm and insert the by your health
implant. After 4 years or any time before this that you insurance
wish, the implant will be removed by a doctor.
Birth Control Shot • A hormonal injection called Depo-Provera can  Very effective  No STD protection
protect against pregnancy for three months.  Only injected once  Side effects: Irregular
every 12 weeks bleeding, breast
• The hormone in the birth control shot, progestin, will  Does not contain tenderness, change in
work with the body to prevent pregnancy. Depo- estrogen appetite or weight gain,
Provera keeps the eggs from leaving the ovaries and  Cost may be covered depression, hair loss or
makes the cervical mucus thicker. Keeping the sperm by your health increased hair on face
from the eggs will prevent pregnancy. insurance or body, headache,
nausea, change in
sexual desire and
irritation of the vagina
Cervical Cap A cervical cap is a barrier method of contraception. It  Low cost  No STD protection
is smaller than a diaphragm and fits over the cervix.  Can remain in place  Requires a doctor visit
Like the diaphragm, a cervical cap is used with up to 48 hours for fitting
spermicide. The cervical cap blocks the opening to the  Cannot be felt by you  Cannot use during
uterus and prevents sperm from joining with an egg. or your partner menstruation
 Can be used during  May be difficult to
breastfeeding insert

Diaphragm The diaphragm is a rubber dome that is inserted into  Low cost  No STD protection
the vagina and placed over the cervix before sexual  Can be used during  Requires a doctor visit
activity. When the diaphragm is in place, the opening breastfeeding for fitting
to the uterus is blocked and the sperm is unable to join  Immediately effective  Cannot use during
with an egg. and reversible birth menstruation
control  May be difficult to
 Cannot be felt by you insert
 or partner  Must be placed prior to
 Reusable sex, every time
 Spermicide may have
side effects
Emergency If you need protection after having sex, you may want  It helps prevent  It contains a high dose
Contraceptive to consider an emergency contraception. Emergency pregnancy after birth of hormones
Pills contraceptives include Plan B, Plan B One-Step, and control failure or  Using it repeatedly can
Next Choice. All of these contain a high dose of a unprotected sex interrupt the natural
hormone used in birth control pills, and they must be  Most effective only menstrual cycle
taken within 72 hours of sexual activity. Ella is a new when used within 12  Side effects
type of emergency contraception that uses a non- hours after  No STD protection
hormonal drug and can be used up to 5 days after unprotected sex
sexual activity.

Female Condoms • This birth control option is a plastic, pouch-like  STD prevention  Not as effective as
device inserted in the vagina before sex that offers  Safe, simple, and other methods
clitoral stimulation. convenient  May cause irritation of
 Extremely easy to the vagina, vulva,
purchase penis, or anus
 Inexpensive  Reduced sensation
during intercourse
Intrauterine The IUD, or intrauterine device, is a small, T-shaped  Long-lasting  Mild to moderate pain
Device device inserted by a doctor into the uterus. It prevents  May reduce period when IUD is inserted
pregnancy for a number of years. ParaGard is the cramps  Spotting between
name for an IUD that contains copper and can be in  Cost may be covered periods from the first 3-
place for up to 10 years. There are three types of by your health 6 months
hormonal IUDs. Mirena is inserted for up to 5, and insurance  Irregular periods in the
Skyla and Liletta are effective for up to 3 years. All  May reduce menstrual first 3-6 months
types of IUDs are highly effective. flow  May slip out of place
Male Condoms The male condom is a barrier method involved in  STD prevention  One-time use
preventing contact between sperm and egg.During  Extremely easy to  Required every time
ejaculation, a condom is designed to catch semen, purchase you have sex
stopping it from entering the vagina.  Inexpensive  Must be used properly
 Can be used with in order for
 other birth control effectiveness
methods  Not as effective as
other birth control
methods
Spermicide Spermicides are chemicals that kill sperm and prevent  Low cost (about $8  No STD protection
them from fertilizing the egg. They are available in per package)  May irritate the penis
different forms such as foams, creams, jellies, or films.  Easy to use or vagina
Spermicides must be inserted deep into the vagina  Extremely easy to  Low effective rate if
before sexual activity. Spermicide blocks the cervix purchase used alone
and keeps the sperm from moving, which prevents the  Can be used during
sperm from reaching the eggs. They are most breastfeeding
commonly used in combination with other birth
control methods, rather than alone
Sponge The Sponge is a small, doughnut-shaped, foam  Immediate  No STD protection
sponge saturated with spermicide. The sponge is effectiveness  May be difficult to
inserted into the vagina and placed against the cervix.  Prescription and insert
A nylon loop attached to the bottom of the sponge doctor visit not  May cause vaginal
makes removal extremely simple. The sponge covers required irritation
the cervix and blocks sperm from entering the uterus.  Cannot be felt by your  May make cause
or your partner vaginal dryness
 Can be used during
breastfeeding
Tubal Implants Tubal implants are small metal springs or sponges are  Permanent  No STD protection
placed inside the fallopian tubes to block them and  Surgery not required  Delay of a few months
permanently prevent pregnancy. Tubal implants do not  Very effective until effective
require surgery; they are guided through the vagina,  May not be reversible
cervix, and uterus until they are lodged in a fallopian  Costly
tube. The implants are made of metal or silicone and  May increase risk of
cause scar tissue to form and block the fallopian tubes. infection
It takes a few months for the scar tissue to form. Once
the scar tissue has formed, the eggs will not be able to
travel from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes, where
eggs are normally fertilized by sperm.
Tubal Ligation Tubal ligation, having “your tubes tied,” is a  Highly effective  No STD protection
 permanent birth control option for women who are  Permanent  Surgery required
certain they do not want to have children in the future.  May not be reversible
Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure that blocks, ties,  Costly
or cuts the fallopian tubes so eggs do not travel into an
area where contact with sperm is possible.

Vaginal Ring The vaginal ring is a small, flexible ring that contains  May reduce menstrual  No STD protection
the same hormones as the pill and patch, estrogen and cramping  Side effects: Bleeding
progestin. The hormones in the vaginal ring keep the  May lead to lighter between periods, breast
eggs from leaving the ovaries and thicken the cervical periods tenderness, nausea and
mucus, which prevents pregnancies. It is worn inside  Cost may be covered vomiting and change in
the vagina to prevent pregnancies. by your health sexual desire
insurance
Vasectomy Vasectomy is a permanent birth control option for  Effective  No STD protection
men. Vasectomy is the surgical closure of the vas  Permanent  Costly
deferens, the tubes that transport sperm from the  Surgery required
testes. Instead of ejaculating sperm, the body will  May not be reversible
absorb the sperm and release sperm-free ejaculate.  Not immediately
effective