Contraception

Contraception – Tailor-Made according to your Need

By Mdhil 

One size doesn’t fit all. That’s exactly the case with birth control measures. What works for you might not work equally well for your sister-in-law with two kids.

Contraception for women in different phases of life

PLAY IT SAFE: Contraception for different phases of a woman's life!

Contraception is a need that changes with time, and in accordance with the different phases in a women’s life. Take your pick and play safe!

Contraception for different phases of a woman’s life:

Unmarried and dating

Carefree and bindaas! Yes, that’s how you act when you are not married and date occasionally. Those days call for a contraception which comes in use once in a while but has to be fool-proof as you are not looking for any parental responsibilities at that time.

Condoms works best, as they also offer protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A much better option is using condoms in combination with vaginal spermicidal inserts.

Emergency contraception comes handy in situations when the act was unplanned or the condom gives way in the heat of moment. But don’t forget, “emergency” means only once in a blue moon usage. These morning-after-pills are not a permanent mode of contraception and only should be used to fix “accidents” that happen sporadically.

Unmarried and in a committed relationship

Another similar set-up is when you are still not married but enjoy the conjugal bliss being in a committed monogamous relationship. In such situations, one can again resort to condoms and vaginal spermicidal inserts.

Female condoms, a pretty recent entry in the market can also be a great option in this case.

Newly married 

Just married and making the most of it. Best options for such couples could be hormone pills.

Hormonal pills are medication that women take once daily for the whole month. Such pills trick the bodies, assuming they are already pregnant by surging the female hormones much higher for a non-pregnant female. They can be a combination of oestrogen- progesterone or progesterone only. However, in case of a woman with family history of ovarian, uterus or breast cancer, it’s best to seek a doctor’s advice before getting on the pill.

Condoms are good here too. Although, different people have their different says about condoms, but they are always a good idea. They work best in protecting against STIs and reduce the chances of unwanted pregnancies.

Planning to have kids in a year or two

To chuck the hassle of popping pills daily and fearing missed doses, one can rely on intra- uterine devices as a long-term, effective birth control method.

IUDs are small devices placed in the uterus of the female. Sometimes they are even laced with progesterone for an enhanced effect. Copper T is a well-known name in this. Women who are not planning to start the family sometime soon or are not keen on pills or condoms can opt for this.

Contraceptive patches are another option for this category. These patches also contain oestrogen and progesterone but in the form of a “patch”, which can be put onto the skin and continuous inflow of these hormones keeps going in the bloodstream.

Lactating mothers

Progesterone only or mini pills (also called lactation pills) are ideal choice for lactating mothers. They are devoid of oestrogen and contain very little amount of progesterone. They thicken the cervical mucus, thereby preventing sperm to enter uterus.

Post 40

Once you are done with kids and have completed your family, its best to put all worries of getting pregnant aside by opting for a more permanent method, which is male and female sterilisation.

• Tubal ligation for both men and women can be done.
• Barrier methods are again a good option at this stage.

Natural methods of family planning like rhythm method are not recommended at his age because the menstrual cycle becomes irregular at this point. In fact, the rhythm method isn’t recommended at any point of time, as it is not a reliable mode of contraception.