
All About Condoms
Currently, condoms are the only widely available, proven method for reducing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during sex. Condoms work.
Anyone who is having penis-in-vagina sex runs the risk of getting pregnant every time they have sex. Even if it’s your first time. Even if you have your period. Even if it’s a full moon and Mercury is in retrograde.
The good news is that there are a lot of ways to make sure that you don’t get pregnant—you can change your behavior or choose from many available methods of contraception (also known as birth control).
Remember, pregnancy requires sperm and egg to meet. The sperm come from testicles and out through the penis every time a person ejaculates. One egg is released from the ovaries just about once a month. If an egg gets fertilized by sperm it usually happens in the fallopian tubes.
Some birth control methods, like condoms, put a physical barrier between sperm and egg. Other methods on the market contain hormones which prevent ovulation so that there is no egg to be fertilized. Hormonal methods also thicken cervical mucus and slow down sperm so they can’t make it to the fallopian tubes.
IUDs and implants are often called long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) because once a health care provider puts them in place, they work for three to 10 years without you having to think about them at all. But if you change your mind and want to get pregnant, you can take them out.
There are also surgical methods where a provider cuts or removes the tubes that carry sperm or eggs. Vasectomies are for people with testicles and tubal ligation is for people with ovaries and fallopian tubes. These methods are permanent, so you have to be sure that you never want to be pregnant or get someone pregnant.
Check here to see more about the methods you might be interested in using whether that’s the pill, the patch, or an IUD. While you read about possible methods keep these questions in mind:
Another really important question is whether the method you’re using helps prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as pregnancy. Other than abstinence from almost all sexual behavior with a partner, condoms are the only method that provides protection against STIs.
If you’ve had unprotected sex and are worried about getting pregnant, you can use emergency contraception. This is different than birth control because you take it after sex. It’s not meant to be used all the time. As the name suggests, it’s for an emergency.
Many types of emergency contraceptive pills are available in pharmacies while others have to be prescribed by a provider. Emergency contraception is still legal in all states.
Hormonal methods come in many different forms—from pills to patches to shots—but all of them essentially work the same way.
Non-hormonal contraceptive methods fall into a few categories, including barrier methods (like condoms and diaphagms) and surgical options.
Preventing pregnancy can be a simple as changing your behavior. Behavioral methods can be effective as long as both partners are committed to following through all the time.
Long-acting reversible contraception, or LARC, is reversible birth control that provides long-lasting (think years) pregnancy prevention. There are hormonal and non-hormonal options.
Currently, condoms are the only widely available, proven method for reducing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during sex. Condoms work.
There’s potential good news in gonorrhea prevention as a series of studies suggests that certain meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines can reduce the risk of gonorrhea.
There is new guidance on pain management for IUD insertion and acknowledgement that providers often underestimate the pain patients feel during their procedures.
Non-hormonal contraceptive methods fall into a few categories. These include barrier methods and surgical options.
There’s new research to suggest that the birth control pill can protect female athletes from ACL tears which is one of the most common knee injuries. While this may sound far-fetched, the science behind it is very interesting.
A new study of more than 200,000 women found that women who had ever taken the pill had a 26% lower risk of ovarian cancer.
Many methods of birth control that are available today rely on hormones like those that our bodies make naturally. Hormonal methods come in many different forms—from pills to patches to shots—but all of them essentially work the same way.
LARC methods are safe, reliable, and prevent pregnancy for years. For many people they are a great choice, but everyone has personal preferences for what fits in to their lifestyle and health profile.
ASHA believes that all people have the right to the information and services that will help them to have optimum sexual health. We envision a time when stigma is no longer associated with sexual health and our nation is united in its belief that sexuality is a normal, healthy, and positive aspect of human life.
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