”The practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies, especially by use of contraception.” Having children is one of the most beautiful experiences a woman can go through, but having an unplanned pregnancy isn’t always exciting. Margret Sanger, a birth control activist, was the first to open up a birth control clinic in the United States and familiarize others with the term “birth control”. She was also a sex educator and believed that birth control should be available to everyone. She started the Birth Control Movement on principles that every woman should be a mother when one sees fit.
Since Margret was also a nurse she wanted to make sure every woman is educated on their body and responsible enough to take birth control if one isn’t ready to bare a child (American Rhetoric). This movement lead to other forms of birth control such as, condoms, plan b, vasectomies and birth control pills. Birth control helps not only with preventing pregnancy but it also helps with making your period regular, lighter, reduce acne, and ease cramps. Although birth control has plenty benefits it can cause bad side effects and like anything else man made it isn’t 100% guarantee. Furthermore, even though a woman or man is responsible enough to take birth control a woman can still become pregnant.
The most common form of birth control besides condoms is birth control pills. In the 18th centuries, a birth control called “assurance caps” was invented by Richard Richter in order to stop impregnating his mistresses. . By the 1920’s he created and marketed a device of his own to be sold in Germany in order to help others control pregnancies. Birth control pills are very effective and efficient. When on birth control, you must take a pill every day in order for it to work at its best. If you tend to be forgetful there is a birth control app you can install that will remind you to take your pill.
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While on the pill you may experience positive and negative sides effects. The positive effects include reducing acne, cysts, ovarian cancer, infections, etc. The negative side effects includes headaches, dizziness, change in sexual desire, mood swings and spotting in between periods which are the most common. Mood swings are labeled as the worst side effect; many women don’t know why birth control cause mood swings and heres why. When you have a mensural cycle your hormones are rising and dropping naturally. These hormones are known as estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. Depending on your body’s hormone level when you are on your period different ones are triggered with the help of your emotions.
When you are on birth control it can change your body’s natural hormone levels which further stops one from ovulating. These unnatural hormone levels introduced to your body may result in mood swings. Fortunately like all medications the side effects aren’t permanent and should go away or reduce over the course of 2 to 3 months and one is advised to use another form of birth control if not (Kaywin). Along with the few side effects birth control can cause, it can also result in more serious situations people aren’t aware of when taking birth control which is pregnancy.
Birth control is medication and like all medications it must be used correctly. There’s two different types of ways people use birth control. “Perfect use” and “Typical use”. Perfect use means you take your birth control pills every single day at the same time. This method is most effective and advised bc you are 99% less likely to get pregnant while on birth control. The typical use means you often take your pill meaning you may not take it everyday or at the same time. This method is only 91% effective.
The downside to birth control is that even though you take your medication correctly you can still get pregnant immediately if you miss a day (Timmons). Theres a few things that could cause your birth control pills to be less effective such as forgetting to take your pills. When on birth control the hormones in the pill requires your body to maintain certain hormonal levels. When forgetting to take the pill hormone levels will drop and can possibly immediately cause ovulation depending on if one is on their menstrual cycle and how far in. Secondly, alcohol or sickness in general.
Anytime someone is throwing up fluids or food after taking the pill it wont be effective. It doesn’t allow the body to absorb the hormones which can cause hormone levels to drop, possibly ovulate and get pregnant. It’s like a domino effect. Lastly, taking any other type of medication along with birth control can cause it to be ineffective. It’s always advised one talks to their doctor before taking birth control considering it is a form of medication and can cause complications if one is using more than one substance at a time. Like previously stated birth control is an amazing tool invented for woman and men to use in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy, but are downfalls to every good idea such as side effects and pregnancy.
In so many words, birth control is an amazing medication that can allow mothers to decide when they would like to have a child. Margret started the Birth Control Movement to encourage both men and women to protect themselves and educate them on the different ways to control pregnancy. Her views and principles later inspired new methods and technology to come up with dozens of different birth controls such as, woman condoms, vasectomies, birth control rod, etc.
Although birth control is a much safer option than abortions woman should also take certain birth controls such as the birth control pill as instructed or else they could become pregnant and like all medications it will cause side effects both negative and positive. It’s important to remember to take birth control pills every day, not get drunk after taking the pill or make sure you ask your doctor when taking other medications before starting birth control to ensure it will be effective.
References
- Planned Parenthood – Birth Control
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Contraception
- American Pregnancy Association – Birth Control
- WebMD – Birth Control
- Healthline – Birth Control
- NHS – Contraception
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – Birth Control Methods and Options
- MedlinePlus – Birth Control Methods
