Birth Control - Admission/Application Essay Example

Birth Control Preface Birth control is the process of using contraceptives to prevent pregnancies. These methods cover contraceptives used on the bodies or those taken in: condoms, IUDs, birth control pills, vasectomy and hormone based birth control methods. These methods not only allow a couple to prevent pregnancy but also to plan the timing of pregnancy. What we are going to discuss in this paper are the different methods used to induce birth control. Are these methods morally or physically right and safe for the people that indulge in them? There are different opinions throughout the world that label birth control either a good choice or a completely ridiculous one. The only contraceptive option that has been widely accepted and acknowledged to date is the use of condoms. This method is widely popular for not only being able to protect a woman and man alike from unwanted pregnancies that occur all over the globe, but also for stopping the spread of several sexually transmitted diseases. Although many of the scholars, pediatricians and medical experts support the concept of using a variety of these methods to control birth, a number of them have now acknowledged an even safer method that is abstinence. Abstinence literallymeans that a person refrains from the activities that are known to give pleasure to a human body, though the most popular reference of this is towards the sexual activity. So, it can be very confusing for a couple to choose a safe method. Different Methods and Their Pros and Cons As mentioned before, several different methods are used by the general populace to prevent unwanted child birth. Many of these methods are proven to be scientifically safe for many couples, but there are often dire side effects on the women that tend to use these methods. Hormonal Methods Hormone based birth controls are methods where different types of procedures may be used, which release hormones such as estrogen and progestin within the female body that prevent the possibility of pregnancy. Progestin plays a very important role in avoiding pregnancy. There are two very popular methods that are used for birth control. One is the vaginal ring and the second is the birth control patch. What these methods do is release of the hormones––estrogen and progestin––within the female body. These hormones prevent the method of ovulation which underlines the process of egg release from the ovaries in a woman’s monthly cycle. Hormones that are released by the patch oftentimes thicken the mucus that is produced by the cervix in the female body, which prevents any sperm to reach and fertilize an egg. Even if by chance an egg is fertilized, they would not attach to the wall of the uterus that would result in the fertilization to be moot. This happens because the patch also affects the uterus lining. A vaginal ring is inserted inside the vagina for three weeks where these hormones are inserted, and then removed for one week so that the female can have a regular cycle. The good that comes from these methods is that the pregnancy is guaranteed to be prevented. But one of the biggest problems with this is that the woman may not know what would happen to her as a side effect until or unless she had tried more than one of these methods (NaturalNews). In obese women, this method can affect the level of blood glucose and may become the cause for diabetes. A research was conducted in the University of Southern California. One of the researchers, Penina Segal-Gutierrez, noted that the research on obese women was indeed practically important because one-third of the women in USA are actually overweight and that progestin, which is artificially synthesized, can cause changes in metabolism. This can also be the cause of headaches, dizziness and a nauseous reaction. If nausea does not go away even after two months of use, then it is better to switch the method being used. Breast tenderness can also happen, but most of these side effects can be minimized from the use of extended cycle birth control pills. One of the biggest risks is an increased probability of breast cancer in women. This can also cause breakthrough bleeding, but Dr. Hutcherson believes it to not be of any cause of distress that is more than other side effects. This happens often due to the thin lining of the uterus although it can make a period lighter or make it completely gone. Decreased libido and different mood swings can oftentimes also be a side effect of hormonal based methods (Health.com). Birth Control Pills Birth control pills are used as an oral contraceptive; they are also a subtype of hormonal methods, but the method of hormone injection here is different from the above mentioned methods. Oral contraceptives are those injected though the mouth. These birth control pills are of different varieties, namely extended cycle pills, progestin only pills, combination pills and emergency contraceptive pills. Combination pills are actually a combination of different doses of estrogen and progestin on different days. They still do not prevent 100% pregnancy and the rate is actually 99%, which is not that bad. But they have to be taken at the same time every day and can be detrimental to smokers, heart or diabetes patients due to estrogen doses. They actually help in restoring the monthly period and easing hot flashes. Extended cycle pills are actually a form of combination pills that, in addition to prevented pregnancy, reduce the period from monthly to once per three months. It is still not scientifically proven that this method of using these artificial period reduction pills can have a detrimental effect on health. Progestin-only pills are those which do not contain any amount of estrogen within them. This method has proven to be relatively safe for those women who smoke, have heart diseases, diabetes or are breast feeding. These pills need to be taken at the exact same time every day and if one is not able to remember, they must have a backup plan. An emergency contraceptive pill is actually the backup plan which can still be effective in birth control if all else fail. These pills need to be taken within three to five days after unprotected sex. Another type of emergency contraceptive is the copper T IUD inserted in the uterus, but this method can be very expensive and also last up to 10 years, which is usually not what most individuals want. Condoms Condoms are barriers that are used during sexual intercourse unlike the other methods applied before or after sex. Different condom manufacturing companies use different materials to produce condoms. The most common materials are non-latex rubber, latex, lamb skin and polyurethane. They are actually used as sheaths over the sexual organs in which female condoms are inserted in the vagina and male condoms are put over a man’s penis. These different materials of condoms are usually researched by people before using them, because vegetarian people often only use vegan-approved condoms. Condoms are the most readily accepted method of protecting against pregnancies because in addition to protecting against childbirth, this is the only method of birth control that also protect from sexually transmitted diseases. Female condoms are actually inserted deep inside the vagina, over the cervix, and can be put there up to 8 hours before sex as opposed to the male condom that is put just before the intercourse. Despite this, male condoms are widely preferred because if worn properly, a male condom not only protects against childbirth and regular STDs but can also prevent HIV. This is one of the main reasons why a male condom is the most appreciated and used birth control method worldwide and why medical experts along with HIV prevention programs promote the use of condoms. Other Methods There are several other methods used to prevent childbirth. Diaphragms are used by females, which, as a female condom, cover the cervix and prevent the sperm from fertilizing eggs, but they have to be used along with a spermicide. They are dome shaped and made of rubber and must be fitted in a woman by a doctor. If a woman’s weight fluctuates within the range of 10 pounds at a time, it is necessary that this method be not used, as the diaphragm then would need to be refitted. IUDs, as mentioned above, are copper devices that prevent sperm from reaching the eggs. They are only suitable for women who have already given birth, because it stretches the uterus and causes pain for women who had not had childbirth before. One of the most controversial methods of controlling birth is using vasectomy. Vasectomy is a surgical process of sterilization of the male or female sex organ. What it does is permanently removing any chance of a female getting pregnant or a male getting the female pregnant. Getting a vasectomy has many raised questions against it because it not only makes a man or a woman permanently impotent but is also against the beliefs of major religions, such as Christianity and Islam, in the world. Pope has ruled out the use of vasectomy. Islam encourages marriage and having children, while vasectomy is the exact opposite of the teachings of Islam. Dilemmas The American Academy of Pediatrics has urged that the teenagers of America need to be pushed to take birth control pills. It has suggested so far as giving prescriptions to female teenagers in advance in order to prevent teenage pregnancies. This comes from a very earnest place where over 750,000 teenagers become pregnant unwantedly in a year in America, but it is in seemingly no regard to the feelings of people who do not want these contraception either due to their religious or moral beliefs. Dr. Bradford Wilcox has done wide research on abstinence and its different programs. Abstinence not only prevents unwanted childbirth but there is also no chance of any type of STD to be spread through it. In his article what he has focused on is abstinence before marriage. He has stated that adolescents who abstain from sex are usually happier and healthier towards their relationships and parents and enjoy a healthy marital life. Abstinence before sex not only prevents single parenthood but also negates the effect of other anti-social behavior such as drinking, drug use and others, leading to academic failures (Wilcox 13). Pros and Cons Experts who argue the importance of birth control talk a lot about the elevated importance of not only in the sense of economic benefits but also because of the health benefits of birth control. For example, according to Mills, the women who do use birth control pills have depleted chances and a lower risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. Birth control also gives the economic benefits such as growth of income: “the less population, the more cash inflow” is the rule that augments the importance of birth control. But on the other hand, birth control, even though has its perks, also has a lot of side effects and problems that arise from it. Birth control methods that do not involve the use of condoms can tend to have various side effects on the users and actually do a whole lot of harm than good. Progestin, the artificially synthesized hormone, actually promotes diabetes in women who are overweight, and as we are speaking, 14% percent of women in the world are obese as of a report made by the WHO in 2008. Except progestin-only pills, every contraceptive pill consists of estrogen doses that are detrimental to the health of smokers, diabetics and heart patients. The methods involving both hormones also carry an elevated risk of causing breast cancer in women. Copper IUDs can make a woman impervious to pregnancies up to 10 years that most women do not want. All in all, the majority of birth control methods carry such hazards that the benefit in the end is simply not any way near the problems caused by them. Conclusion Although there are different methods of preventing child birth, many of them often have side effects which can be very detrimental not only to the health of a woman but also many men can be affected by them. Some methods are more preferable than others. The most effective method that seems to not only prevent child birth but also sexually transmitted diseases is the combination of two. Abstinence seems to be the key to a healthy life before marriage, and after marriage a couple is bound to each other for a lifetime. So instead of using pills when there is a chance of unpredictable sexual encounters, married couples can healthily use condoms which would prevent child birth until they want it. Works Cited Health.com. "Breakthrough Bleeding––7 Common Birth Control Side Effects." 2013. Web. 1 Sep 2013. . NaturalNews. "Pediatricians Should Push Birth Control Pills onto Young Teens, Says American Academy of Pediatrics." 2012. Web. 1 Sep 2013. . Wilcox, Bradford. A Scientific Review of Abstinence and Abstinence Programs. University of Virginia, 2013. Print. Read More