How Do Most Birth Control Methods Really Work?I have done quite a bit of research on birth control methods. This article is based on my research and information from "The Art of Natural Family Planning" by the Kippley's. I am about to get very serious and blunt about this topic. I am pretty passionate about birth control methods! :o) I hope you find this information helpful. I am not here to judge - just to educate. Birth control is an an important decision between you, your spouse, and God. Please be informed of those decisions. First - let me set a foundation. As a Christian, I believe that life begins at conception. So, the minute the sperm enters the egg - conception occurs - that is a new human life. ~~~~God's Word~~~~ Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Psalm 127:3 "Children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Psalm 139:14-16 (NLT) "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now - let's talk about specific birth control methods. The Pill - The Most Popular Birth Control Method
1. It sometimes stops ovulation (Most pills don't - they are not strong enough) 2. It thickens cervical mucus - to make sperm migration more difficult. 3. It 'thins out' the blood lining of the endometrium (uterus) - to make it 'hostile' to implantation. The 3rd one is the worst. In normal circumstances - When an egg is fertilized, it attaches to the thick blood lining of the uterus. That is where it is nourished until it starts to grow into a baby. When the egg is not fertilized, you have your period like usual. However...A 'benefit' of the pill is "shorter, lighter periods." This may sound good...but it's usually not. "Lighter periods" means that the blood lining of the uterus is much thinner than usual. Fertilized eggs can not attach to a lining that is too thin. Her uterus basically becomes a 'dry desert' for any fertilized eggs. **** With the Pill - the fertilized egg can not attach to the uterus, and dies. It is eliminated with the 'regular' period. Except - the woman has actually just had an early abortion, without even knowing it. Yes, I'm afraid this is considered an abortion. She put a chemical in her body that caused the death of her child. "When a drug or device prevents the implantation of a newly conceived human life, it has to be classified as an abortifacient, something causing an abortion" - The Art of NFP, p.11. This happens more often than you know. And, for those who get pregnant while on the pill - it's amazing that the baby survived. Those are the lucky ones - true little miracles! It's important to keep in mind that the birth control pill is prescription medication, so there are some side effects... including: breast cancer, cervical cancer, liver tumors, blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, nausea, headaches, depression, cramps, bloating, weight gain or loss, vaginal infections...etc. But, if you have a truly abnormal cycle or period - like uncontrolled bleeding for example - the pill may be able to help you. It is medication that can be extremely helpful for some women. Just please educate yourself, and don't put anything into your body unless you absolutely need it. :o) Norplant and Depo-Provera Birth Control Methods Norplant is a device implanted into a woman's body that slowly releases hormones. Depo-Provera is a long-lasting injection of hormones. They both work the same way as the pill - same risks and side effects - because they release the same hormones. They are both designed to last a long time in the body. Because they last so long - they are considered more "convenient" than the pill. (Yeah right!) The implants can cause permanent scarring. And, the injected chemicals can take 3-5 years to completely break down. These carry the same 'abortifacient properties' as the pill, because they also 'thin out' the lining of the uterus. IUD - Intra-Uterine Device IUD birth control methods usually work in 2 ways. 1. They can release hormones similar to the pill - in lower doses because they are inserted into the uterus. If they are releasing the same hormones, then they have the same risks and side effects. 2. They can also scrape the inside of the uterus - preventing the implantation of any 'accidentally' fertilized eggs.
It fits into the uterus and releases "pill like" hormones. The following quote was taken exactly from the "Mirena" advertisement in my January 2008 "Parenting Magazine." It was in the fine print. "There is no single explanation of how "Mirena" works. It may stop release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases. It may block sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg. It may make the lining of your uterus thin. We do not know which of these actions is most important for preventing pregnancy and most likely all of them work together." They don't know??? Hmmm. So, they are admitting that her egg is probably being released, and it is likely being fertilized. And, they are admitting to the 'birth control properties' of a thin uterus lining. The ad also says, "About 2 out of 10 women stop having periods after 1 year of "Mirena" use. The periods come back after "Mirena" is removed." Mirena is designed to be used for up to 5 years. If you stop having periods...what does that do to your fertility cycle? Do you still ovulate? What does that do to any 'accidentally' conceived babies? Oh, and they also warn about possible ovarian cysts - some so large and painful that they need surgery. The Barrier Birth Control Methods These are designed to provide a physical or chemical barrier - to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. They include: cervical caps, condoms, diaphragms, foams, jellies, and the sponge. All of these have problems with effectiveness, and can reduce pleasure. Spermicidal foams and jellies are designed to kill sperm on contact - and can also cause miscarriages, birth defects, and allergic reactions. Sponges can cause toxic shock syndrome if they are left in too long. Diaphragms may increase urinary tract infections - due to pressure on the bladder. Latex condoms can also cause allergic reactions. But there are several other anti-latex ones on the market. Condoms can also cause preeclampsia or "toxemia of pregnancy" which can be very serious and life threatening. Apparently, repeat exposure to her husband's sperm strengthens a woman's immune system. These proteins in the sperm produce antibodies that protect the growing fetus. When they use a condom, she won't get that repeat exposure - which could lead to preeclampsia during pregnancy. Like I said in my previous page, I believe that spermicide-free condoms can be used with Natural Family Planning. This will allow you to have relations during your fertile time (with some risk of pregnancy). Then, for the rest of the month you can enjoy relations without the condom. This will give you the repeat exposure to your hubby's sperm - which is important for your immune system. That's just my opinion - based on my research. The choice is yours. The Rhythm Birth Control Method Many people think that Natural Family Planning is the same as "The Rhythm Method." I get that all the time - from family, from friends, even from doctors! It's not the same. The Rhythm Method is based on 'guessing' when ovulation occurs, based on the length of your cycle. This may work for some women, but only if she has consistently regular cycles. Most women don't. Also, Most people don't know that sperm can live in her fertile cervical mucus - for up to 3-5 days! Cervical mucus creates the best pH environment for his little swimmers. Giving them a better chance to reach the egg. For example - if the couple is doing the Calendar Rhythm Method, and ignoring her mucus signs, they could have relations 4 days before ovulation and still get pregnant. This is rare - but can definitely happen. Natural Family Planning cross checks your temperature, mucus, cervix, and cycle patterns - to let you know exactly when your fertile time begins and ends. There is NO guessing. See, it is not the same. :o) Withdrawal As A Birth Control Method Withdrawal is when the man does not release sperm into the woman's vagina. This is not very effective - because most men release 'pre-ejaculate' fluids with some sperm in it. It only takes one sperm to fertilize an egg. This method is also very frustrating - because it interferes with the pleasure of intercourse. Permanent Birth Control Methods Tubal Ligation This is the main form of sexual sterilization for women. It is performed by surgically blocking the fallopian tubes. There are various ways to do this.
With "Essure" micro-inserts (shaped like coils) are placed into the fallopian tubes by a catheter. The inserts irritate the fallopian tubes and cause them to build scar tissue, which blocks the sperm from the eggs. This scar tissue takes about 3 months to fully form. Tubal Ligation can cause some problems, like... ~ Post-Tubal Ligation Syndrome - symptoms include: dysfunctional uterine bleeding, painful periods, painful intercourse, and pelvic pain. Some symptoms result in endometriosis, hospitalization, and hysterectomy. ~ Ectopic Pregnancies - these occur when the sperm gets past the blockage, but the fertilized fetus can not. This is always fatal for the developing baby. And, it can be fatal for the mother if the bleeding is not controlled. ~ Increased Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) - tubal ligation lowers the levels of progesterone which increases PMS symptoms. ~ Risks from Surgery - Of course, every operation carries the risk of hemorrhage or infection. ~ Unwanted Permanence - A woman with her 'tubes tied' is basically permanently sterile. If requested, some doctors will try to reverse a tubal ligation, but success is not guaranteed. The "Essure" procedure I mentioned before is absolutely NOT reversible. ~ Psychological Effects - after this procedure some women have experienced depression, panic attacks, irritability, a lack of desire for intimacy, etc. Vasectomy This is the main form of sexual sterilization for men. It is performed by making an incision in the scrotum to cut the vas deferens. The vas deferens is the tube that carries sperm to the prostate gland, where it mixes with other fluid for ejaculation. When this is cut or blocked, sperm can not mix with that fluid. Testicles continue to make sperm - which are absorbed by the body. They have no where else to go. Some experts believe that the man's body develops an auto-immune response to the sperm - which can effect a man's immune system causing lots of health problems. But, there is no definite proof. Vasectomy can also cause some problems, like... ~ Emotional Disturbances ~ Impaired Sexual Function ~ Kidney stones ~ Prostate Cancer ~ Unwanted Permanence - Reversals are possible, but are very expensive and are not guaranteed to work. Abortion As A Birth Control Method Oh Lord...I wish I didn't have to talk about this as a birth control method. I saved the worst for last... "The reality is that in the United States 26.4% of abortions are committed by married women. Some may use abortion as their primary form of birth control method. However, most have relied on one of the unnatural forms of birth control, experienced an unplanned pregnancy, and then resorted to abortion as "backstop" birth control method." "The reality is that 35% of abortions in the United States are committed by women between the ages of 20 and 24, and another 19% by women aged 25-29." (Both quotes - The Art of Natural Family Planning, p.7) I'm sorry if this is blunt - but it's true... Abortion is murder.
If you find yourself pregnant, in a bad situation, and considering abortion - please choose adoption as a solution. There are so many couples that want to have a baby, and can't. Please - Give your baby a chance to survive and thrive with a loving family. Don't even consider Abortion as a birth control method. Obey God's law - "You shall not kill." If for no other reason...have your baby to protect yourself. For the woman - abortion can cause uncontrollable bleeding, infection, future infertility, higher risk of breast cancer, major psychological damage, or even death. If you have already had an abortion - you can't change the past. But, you can have forgiveness. ~~~~God's Word~~~~ 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins. There is nothing that His blood won't forgive. If we accept that free gift of mercy and salvation - He will cleanse our sins as 'white as snow.' He will welcome us into his family, and into His kingdom for eternity. Praise the Lord! :o) I know...I know...I can get pretty passionate about birth control methods! Not enough people really know how they work. And, I want you to make informed decisions. If you have been using one of these birth control methods, and you want to find a better solution...consider Natural Family Planning. I believe it is the perfect birth control method that God designed. That may sound silly...but once you learn how He designed your reproductive system - it's easy to avoid or achieve pregnancy. How does Natural Family Planning work?
Back to New Parents from Birth Control Methods
|
The Birth Control Pill works in 3 main ways:
**** There is a new IUC (Intra-Uterine Contraceptive) on the market called "Mirena."
There is even a new procedure called "Essure." 
It doesn't matter if that baby has just been conceived, is 3 months in utero, 6 months in utero, 5 days old, or 5 years old - they are a human being and they deserve to live. 
