Contraceptives

Contraceptives are meant to stop procreation that is a natural outcome of sexual intercourse. Various prescription drugs and over the counter drugs are available for this purpose. Though, improper use of such drugs and pills can have adverse side effects, yet they help a lot in evading the unwanted pregnancy. Let's discuss such, prescription medicines, pills and other hormone therapies in this regard.

Pills: It is one of the most widely used contraceptives by women. A contraceptive pill basically consists of two kinds of artificial hormones known as estrogens and progestins. The main functions of this pill are to result in the holding back of ovulation and sperm transport. Actually, the inner lining of a woman's uterus is changed by the action of these hormones so that if a woman does conceive, an early abortion results in automatically. The pills can be called a sort of oral hormone therapy.

The potential side effects include vulnerability to cancer, high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attack, depression, increased weight and migraines. One positive point is that ovarian and uterine cancers tend to reduce because of the intake of these pills but other type of cancers like breast cancer and cervical cancers have an increased chance of occurrence. Moreover, women who take the pill regularly have an increased chance of HIV infection, if they have an intercourse with an infected partner.

Spermicides: These are those chemical substances that kill the man's sperm so that the chance of conception is not there. These are available as gels or as ingredients of the vaginal sponges. These are effective but have side effects like miscarriage and birth defects.

Condom and Diaphragm: These are the barrier methods and are used to prevent the meeting of the male sperm with the female ovum. But these have high failure rates to the tune of 10-30% because of cuts, leakages, improper usage, manufacturing defects etc. Similarly, the diaphragm is also an effective method but has side effects like, high blood pressure, fluid retention and even kidney damage. These are considered safer than prescription medicines and pills.

Intrauterine Devices: An intrauterine device is a T-shaped device that is made of tough plastic. It is placed into a woman's uterus. It works by the way of irritating the lining of the uterus and by blocking the sperm transport. Some IUDs even contain copper and other hormones. The risk involved is that the new embryo may suffer from copper poisoning.

Self-restraint: It is often considered the best option by many. It does not involve the danger of side effects, venereal diseases or an unexpected pregnancy. Moreover, you get to save your hard-earned money and even gain psychological advantage and self-respect. As a matter of fact, this method is the one that is advocated the most by some doctors.