I have been on birth control since I was 16, not because I was having sex at that age but because I thought I might want to and I was responsible. I wasn”t adult enough to take care of a child.
Eight years later, I still don”t want to have a child. Babies are a lot of responsibility.
If women aren”t ready financially or emotionally to have a child, they should use birth control or abstain from sex.
Friends of mine have said, “Well, I tried the pill, but I didn”t like it.” Well, I”ve tried more than five birth control pills and now use the NuvaRing. If a woman uses a pill and doesn”t like it because it makes her emotional, gives her migraines or bleeding between periods, she should go back to the doctor and ask to switch.
Women have options when it comes to birth control. Doctors can prescribe one of 40 types of hormonal birth control pills, the NuvaRing, the patch, the shot, an intrauterine device, IUD, or an implant in the arm, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Women 18 or older can get emergency contraceptive over the counter, but it is not recommended as a regular birth control method.
“Most women can use birth control pills safely,” according to the Planned Parenthood Web site. “That”s one of the things that make it the most popular method of reversible birth control in the United States. It is a lot safer than childbirth, for example.”
Some health conditions rule out the use of hormonal birth control so women should disclose their whole medical history before getting prescriptions, according to the Planned Parenthood Web site.
The most common side effects of birth control pills are bleeding between periods, breast tenderness and nausea and vomiting, according to Planned Parenthood. The hormones in the pill can increase or decrease a woman”s sexual desire, however a review of 30 studies found the pill, patch, ring or shot had no effect on sexual desire or arousal for most women.
Serious side effects can result from birth control use, according to Planned Parenthood. “Combination pill users have a slightly greater chance of certain rare, but serious, problems than nonusers,” according to Planned Parenthood. “These problems, that may be fatal in very rare cases, include heart attack, stroke, having a blood clot in the legs, lungs, heart, or brain, or developing high blood pressure, liver tumors, gallstones, or yellowing of the skin or eyes ? jaundice. The risk for these problems increases if you: are age 35 or older, are very overweight, have certain inherited blood-clotting disorders, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, have high cholesterol, need prolonged bed rest or smoke.”
Birth control users should be vigilant and report any health problems to their doctors.
“Serious problems usually have warning signs,” according to Planned Parenthood. “Report any of these signs to your health care provider as soon as possible: a new lump in your breast; a sudden very bad headache; achy soreness in the leg; aura ? seeing bright, flashing zigzag lines usually before a very bad headache; bad pain in your abdomen or chest; headaches that are different, worse, or happen more often than usual; no period after having a period every month; trouble breathing and yellowing of the skin or eyes.”
Although the serious side effects are scary, they”re also rare. I have experienced some of the common effects, but nothing serious. Many of the positives of using birth control outweigh some side effects.
“Taking the pill is simple, safe, and convenient,” according to Planned Parenthood. “It does not interfere with having sex. Many women say it improves their sex life because it helps them feel more spontaneous.”
Birth control pills can reduce menstrual cramps, make periods lighter and protect against acne, non-cancerous breast growth, ectopic pregnancy, endometrial and ovarian cancers, iron deficiency anemia, ovarian cysts, and premenstrual symptoms, including headaches and depression, according to Planned Parenthood.
“Combination pills can be used to control when and how often you have your period,” according to Planned Parenthood. “Some pills are specially packaged for women to have only a few periods a year. Other pills can also be used continuously to prevent having periods.”
Yahoo, no period, no PMS and no baby. Women should celebrate birth control, not shy away from it.
As a woman with two bachelor”s degrees unrelated to medicine, people should consult their doctors, not just this column for advice.
Katy Sweeny is a staff reporter for the Record-Bee. She can be reached at
