Menorrhagia better known as heavy period is a common problem for women. This is because the person may suffer from severe anemia and the only way to save her life is through blood transfusions. There are several causes such as hormonal imbalance, uterine fibroids, polyps, dysfunction of the ovaries, adenomyosis, IUDs, medications, pregnancy complications and cancer. Of those mentioned, two are directly linked to birth control.
Hormonal imbalance happens may occur when you get too much estrogen and progesterone in your system. You have to remember that these two hormones are produced by the body and when you take pills that also carry this ingredient, a hormonal balance occurs. This is prevalent among adolescent girls and women who are nearing menopause.
Another is by using intrauterine devices or IUDs. Just like pills, this T-shaped plastic device is either wrapped in copper or contains hormones. Both are effective in preventing pregnancy but if ever you experience heavy bleeding, you need to remove it.
If you experience heavy bleeding as a result of either of the birth control methods, it is best to see a doctor immediately and tell that person when this happened.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history before a physical exam will be done. These include blood tests, an endometrial biopsy, Pap test and ultrasound scan.
Should there be additional tests needed, you may undergo a sonohysterogram, a hysteroscopy or dilation and curettage otherwise known as D&C. This is done of course to rule out other menstrual disorders.
Treatment for heavy period is based on your current health and medical history. If it has been found that birth control devices are the culprit, you may have to switch to another device so this will never happen again.
Often recommended by doctors are oral contraceptives because it has been proven to help regulate ovulation and reduce episodes of heavy periods. Since this may not go away right away, the doctor may also prescribe NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the heavy period. They are also known to relive painful menstrual cramps.
There are two types namely combination birth control pills and progestin only pills. You should keep in mind that there are certain side effects in using them and if this is a problem, you should ask your doctor to reduce the dosage or recommend something else.
If birth control is not the reason and you are anemic, the answer will be to take iron supplements as part of your daily diet.
Should heavy periods still occur, this is the time that surgery may be the final solution. Some examples of these include Dilation and curettage or D&C, operative hysteroscopy, endometrial ablation, endometrial resection and hysterectomy.
Except for the last one mentioned, the others can be done on an outpatient basis. You can check in the hospital or clinic in the morning and be out by lunch or in the early afternoon.
The different birth control methods are effective in preventing pregnancy but not all of them can protect you from sexually transmitted diseases or STDs. Two of those mentioned above are directly linked to heavy periods or menorrhagia so if you don't want this to happen, you should be examined regularly by a doctor and consider other conventional birth control methods.
Thursday 16 June 2011
Thursday 9 June 2011
Birth Control and Side Effects
There are different types of birth control pills around. Before you start using any, you should consider the side effects.
Studies have shown that there are only two methods that do not have side effects. First is abstaining however, it may be hard sometimes to control the urge if both of you feel like doing it. The best thing to do then is outercourse or masturbation so the sperm will never come into contact with the egg.
The second is with the use of condoms because it does not release any hormones into the body and it is simply used as a barrier that is disposed off after intercourse.
Spermicides come in different forms. There are creams, film, gel, suppositories and tablets. The side effects of using them include the risk of TSS and one of you will experience a burning or itching sensation. It rarely causes a skin rash but when it happens, this will only go away after some time.
Those who choose to use the diaphragm are at risk of bladder and urinary tract infections. If you have had this in the past, you are strongly discouraged to stop using it. There have also been cases of toxic shock syndrome or TSS but is also quite rate. This should not left in the vagina for more than 24 hours because there will soon be a smelly vaginal discharge, an inflammation or an infection could occur.
Birth control pills have a lot of side effects. These include breast tenderness, headaches, mood changes, nausea, spotting and weight gain. It may also contribute to blood clots, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, breast and liver cancer.
Apart from conventional birth control pills, there is a new one called Seasonale. Since it has been around for only 5 years, there have only been a few reported cases of blood clots in the legs or lungs, stoppage or rupture of a blood vessel in the heart and other organs, liver tumors and high blood pressure. However, those who have been taking it regularly complain of breast tenderness, weight gain, vomiting and difficulty wearing contact lenses.
The morning after pill is better known as an emergency contraceptive pill or ECP. This must be taken 120 hours after unprotected vaginal intercourse. Its side effects are similar to that of conventional pills but if you happen to vomit within an hour of ingesting the pill, it is advised that you call a doctor. Another thing to keep in mind is that this should not be used as a regular birth control pill.
The patch is another and this is applied to the skin. One patch is good for a week and this has to be placed for three consecutive weeks and can be placed anywhere in the body. On the fourth week, the female doesn’t have to stick anything so she can normally go through her monthly menstrual cycle. Side effects include application site reaction, breast symptoms, headaches, mood swings and vomiting.
Injectables are injected into the body every three months. The sides effects include irregular periods, weight gain and vomiting. Something similar to that are implants and those who use it may experience irregular bleeding, headaches, nausea, depression, dizziness, nervousness, weight gain or loss and hair loss.
Majority of the birth control methods around have side effects. If you don’t want to experience any, perhaps not having sex at all is the answer to your problems.
Monday 6 June 2011
Birth Control Options
Family planning is a must in today's modern society. People are slowly becoming more and more aware of the implications both good and bad of planning the family. Most importantly people are becoming more and more aware of the different options that they have for planning their family. Different kinds of birth control options are now widely accepted as normal and part of everyday life.
Family planning has made enormous waves when it comes to controversy, different anti-family planning groups call it artificial control of what God has given and since most family planning methods involve products that have been manufactured by man and their companies people say that it is also like playing God since we have control over the number of members we want in our family.
Birth control options have been subject to a lot of debate and argument in the past and in the present, but even with all the opposition it gets from different sectors it still remains as the number one option of people who want to take care of how their family. What are the advantages of having birth control options?
There are a lot of different pros and cons to it but to have a good idea of some of the things that we can benefit from birth control let’s go ahead and take a look into birth control a little more.
Birth control also helps prevent STD’s or sexually transmitted diseases. Yes it’s true, most birth control options if not some of it can help prevent Sexually transmitted diseases. We all know that STD’s infect people through transferring the infection during sexual activities. Since the main function of birth control devices is to prevent contact between two different cells, the damage and the scope of the damage can be minimized in terms of getting the infection. One of the most reliable if not most used form of contraception that helps prevent transmission of STD is the condom.
It is a type of rolled up barrier protection.
Condoms can either be male or female types. Most commonly used are the male type condoms. There are a lot of it available at check out counters in various stores, it is easy to use and requires no expert tip or help whatsoever, to use it simply roll it out from the tip of the penis to the base. Make sure that you pinch the air out once it has made contact with the base of your penis.
The condom is one of the most effective and simple ways that we can use to first prevent Sexually transmitted diseases and second avoid unplanned and unscheduled pregnancies.
Because of it’s simplicity and effectivity of the condom later on the female condom would be invented. The principle of the female condom is the same with the male condom, and basically has the same effectivity for birth control and protection. The only major difference if the relative difference in sizes.
For those who do not like artificial forms birth control, there are alternatives. One of the alternatives of artificial contraception would be natural family planning or birth control. Natural methods involve a lot of effort and hard work because of the nature of the many methods used for it.
Birth control options like these help us in planning ahead. We need to be a better country for the future generations.
Family planning has made enormous waves when it comes to controversy, different anti-family planning groups call it artificial control of what God has given and since most family planning methods involve products that have been manufactured by man and their companies people say that it is also like playing God since we have control over the number of members we want in our family.
Birth control options have been subject to a lot of debate and argument in the past and in the present, but even with all the opposition it gets from different sectors it still remains as the number one option of people who want to take care of how their family. What are the advantages of having birth control options?
There are a lot of different pros and cons to it but to have a good idea of some of the things that we can benefit from birth control let’s go ahead and take a look into birth control a little more.
Birth control also helps prevent STD’s or sexually transmitted diseases. Yes it’s true, most birth control options if not some of it can help prevent Sexually transmitted diseases. We all know that STD’s infect people through transferring the infection during sexual activities. Since the main function of birth control devices is to prevent contact between two different cells, the damage and the scope of the damage can be minimized in terms of getting the infection. One of the most reliable if not most used form of contraception that helps prevent transmission of STD is the condom.
It is a type of rolled up barrier protection.
Condoms can either be male or female types. Most commonly used are the male type condoms. There are a lot of it available at check out counters in various stores, it is easy to use and requires no expert tip or help whatsoever, to use it simply roll it out from the tip of the penis to the base. Make sure that you pinch the air out once it has made contact with the base of your penis.
The condom is one of the most effective and simple ways that we can use to first prevent Sexually transmitted diseases and second avoid unplanned and unscheduled pregnancies.
Because of it’s simplicity and effectivity of the condom later on the female condom would be invented. The principle of the female condom is the same with the male condom, and basically has the same effectivity for birth control and protection. The only major difference if the relative difference in sizes.
For those who do not like artificial forms birth control, there are alternatives. One of the alternatives of artificial contraception would be natural family planning or birth control. Natural methods involve a lot of effort and hard work because of the nature of the many methods used for it.
Birth control options like these help us in planning ahead. We need to be a better country for the future generations.
A Brief History of Birth Control
Here's a brief look at the history of birth control. Although pills are very much in demand to avoid getting pregnant for women, these are also causing quite a stir.
The reason for this is because birth control pills are known for one side effect. More and more women are complaining that the pills cause them to gain weight. For the ladies who use the pill just to avoid the risk of pregnancy, this is definitely not a good news.
When a woman gains weight because of the pills, it causes her to look at the other options. But not everybody is affected of this kind of side effect. Some women don't have weight issues regarding the use of birth control pills.
But for the women who are prone to such effect, there are other forms of birth control that they can choose to use. They can go the natural way or the rhythm method. This is where the partners will become involved in a sexual act only when the female is not fertile.
There are methods that are being injected and inserted to the women's genitals to obtain same effect as the pills. And among the popular ones is through the use of condoms. Nowadays, both men and women have condoms suited for their private parts.
The History
The oldest form of birth control can be the sexual abstinence. But aside from it, the withdrawal effect can also be considered as one.
Coined as the coitus interruptus, this means that the penis of a man will withdraw from the woman's genitals before the ejaculation. This prevents him from transmitting into the lady or his partner any vital sperm that may cause pregnancy. But this requires a lot of self control on the part of men.
It was also believed that Egyptian women have used suppository for their vaginas on old ages. The term for this type is pessary. This contains oil and other lubricants that will kill the sperm once the woman becomes involved in a sexual act.
The equivalent of today's female condoms at the time is a cervical cap for Asian women. This is like oiled paper. And for the same goal, Europeans have used beeswax. It was not until the 17th century that a condom was invented. When it was first introduced, it wasn't as popular as today. And it was intended not only to avoid the risk of pregnancy but also to avoid acquiring sexually transmitted disease like syphilis.
Throughout human history,there are various abortifacients that have been used. But the effects vary and those that were proven effective caused a lot of side effects. In the developing years, the herbal medium was used to act as a contraceptive.
The 20th century introduced the rhythm method or the natural way. It is still being applied today and can be as effective as the birth control pills but will also require a lot of control from both concerning partners.
In 1960, the FDA approved the pill that is now known as birth control. It was in 1972 that the pill became available for married ladies and singles ones who are over the age of 21. This was part of the 26th Amendment.
This brief history of birth control shows you its popularity through time. Although, it is also known to cause added weight, people rely on one or two types in hopes of not risking getting their partners pregnant at the time that they are still not ready for it.
Birth Control Through the Times
Birth control is and has always been one of the most celebrated and controversial topics in the history of man. It is because in almost all eras and generations, people have always had opposing beliefs on it.
In the bible after the great flood that wiped out almost all of human existence, God made a promise that no matter what happens he will not ever again destroy what he created. He also told Noah and his children to go forth and multiply.
Now I don’t know if the idea was to populate the world or just simply multiply without thinking about anything but one thing is for sure. We are successful in multiplying fast. In the United States alone population is expected to grow up to 12 million births in 2025, some people think that we still have a long way to go until 2025 but when you think about it how many infants are born every year and with the rapidly depleting resources that we have here on our planet just imagine what could happen in 2025.
People have become conscious of this reality a long time ago, in fact people as far as the age of ancient Egypt have become aware of the drastic effect of a growing population and depleting resources. Ancient Egyptians have the earliest records of recorded instructions on how to make contraceptive pessary. Other early forms of contraceptives are coitus interruptus and ingestion of herbs that are believed to be abortifacient.
Though the threats of overpopulation are real, the concept of birth control still remains to be one of the taboos of modern society. Advocates, religious organizations and private citizens that are against birth control call it an abomination of what God has given. But even with the antagonism of some people, it has stopped the rise and move of birth control.
In present times, to balance out the grievances of the pro-birth control sector and the anti-birth control sector, a truce has been drawn between the two and they left the decision to the people. Because of this development people can now freely choose which method they like to use.
There are a lot of methods of birth control available to people nowadays.
There are two kinds of birth control approaches available to couples, first one is the artificial method (this is he method that is raising controversy in some sectors) and the Natural method (said to be where Pro and Anti compromised) both methods can be learned and applied any time during the course of the couples relationship.
Some of the commonly known artificial methods are Physical method, barrier method, hormonal, intrauterine method and Ormeloxifene (Centchroman). These methods involve intake of hormones that hinder the sperm from reaching the egg cell, using a physical barrier to prevent the transfer of sperms and operating on the reproductive organ to divert the pathway the sperm of the egg cell is taking.
These are the methods that some anti-birth control advocates call playing God, since we deviate the natural occurrence from happening.
Natural birth control is also available to people who do not believe that science should dip their fingers in the natural ways of man. Some of the methods include behavioral methods, fertility awareness, coitus interruptus, avoiding vaginal intercourse and abstinence during fertile weeks.
Natural or artificial the important thing about birth control is not how people do it but why, if you take a look at our present situation some families barely make enough to get their children through high school.
Some families are too broke to afford three square meals a day. Without a doubt birth control is needed in our present society for us to provide the next generation a better future.
In the bible after the great flood that wiped out almost all of human existence, God made a promise that no matter what happens he will not ever again destroy what he created. He also told Noah and his children to go forth and multiply.
Now I don’t know if the idea was to populate the world or just simply multiply without thinking about anything but one thing is for sure. We are successful in multiplying fast. In the United States alone population is expected to grow up to 12 million births in 2025, some people think that we still have a long way to go until 2025 but when you think about it how many infants are born every year and with the rapidly depleting resources that we have here on our planet just imagine what could happen in 2025.
People have become conscious of this reality a long time ago, in fact people as far as the age of ancient Egypt have become aware of the drastic effect of a growing population and depleting resources. Ancient Egyptians have the earliest records of recorded instructions on how to make contraceptive pessary. Other early forms of contraceptives are coitus interruptus and ingestion of herbs that are believed to be abortifacient.
Though the threats of overpopulation are real, the concept of birth control still remains to be one of the taboos of modern society. Advocates, religious organizations and private citizens that are against birth control call it an abomination of what God has given. But even with the antagonism of some people, it has stopped the rise and move of birth control.
In present times, to balance out the grievances of the pro-birth control sector and the anti-birth control sector, a truce has been drawn between the two and they left the decision to the people. Because of this development people can now freely choose which method they like to use.
There are a lot of methods of birth control available to people nowadays.
There are two kinds of birth control approaches available to couples, first one is the artificial method (this is he method that is raising controversy in some sectors) and the Natural method (said to be where Pro and Anti compromised) both methods can be learned and applied any time during the course of the couples relationship.
Some of the commonly known artificial methods are Physical method, barrier method, hormonal, intrauterine method and Ormeloxifene (Centchroman). These methods involve intake of hormones that hinder the sperm from reaching the egg cell, using a physical barrier to prevent the transfer of sperms and operating on the reproductive organ to divert the pathway the sperm of the egg cell is taking.
These are the methods that some anti-birth control advocates call playing God, since we deviate the natural occurrence from happening.
Natural birth control is also available to people who do not believe that science should dip their fingers in the natural ways of man. Some of the methods include behavioral methods, fertility awareness, coitus interruptus, avoiding vaginal intercourse and abstinence during fertile weeks.
Natural or artificial the important thing about birth control is not how people do it but why, if you take a look at our present situation some families barely make enough to get their children through high school.
Some families are too broke to afford three square meals a day. Without a doubt birth control is needed in our present society for us to provide the next generation a better future.
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