Welcome!
Welcome to Contracept.com. The purpose of this site is to inform you about some less-publicized aspects of commonly used birth control methods. Below is a brief summary of these aspects, with links to further details. I've tried to be completely honest and forthright, so I'll admit right up front that my opinion is that people should not use these drugs and devices for the reasons outlined below. I thank you for taking the time to come and look at this site and consider what I have to say. I have included sources for all assertions and also links to some sites with opposing views to allow you to see both sides more easily.
Birth-Control Methods
All commonly-used Birth-control drugs and devices can be divided into three categories: drugs ("the pill", Depo-Provera, Norplant, etc.), mechanical devices (the IUD, although these can sometimes contain drugs, too), and barrier methods (condom, diaphragm). This site attempts to address some aspects of all of these major types. Most of the points made below apply to drugs and mechanical devices and unless otherwise stated, the phrase “drugs/devices” below refers only to the first two methods.
Important Birth-Control Facts
Please note: for sources for each of these assertions, please click on the associated "details" link for each fact.
1) Prevalence About 64% of women aged 15-44 use some method of birth-control, with 12 million (20%) using some type of drug (either oral, injectible, or subdermal, such as Norplant). Normally, powerful hormonal drugs such as these are only taken for a limited time when someone has an illness, but in this case, we have a large percentage of young and middle aged healthy women on these drugs for a significant portion of their lives. Their fertility is being treated as if it were a "disease" to be cured. (Details)
2) Failure rateThe failure rate of commonly used birth-control methods varies. For example, the failure rate for the oral birth-control pill is typically 6 % -- that is, 6% of users will nonetheless become pregnant within 1 year of use. At this rate, a couple of average sexual activity using "the pill" would be more likely than not to have an unplanned pregnancy within 11 years of usage. A recent study published in Family Planning Perspectives stated that considering reversible birth control methods in general, a typical woman using such methods is likely to have 1.8 unplanned pregnancies during her life. Since 53% of those women seeking surgical abortion were using contraception when they became pregnant, contraceptive failure plays a major role in the high abortion rate in the U.S.
(Details)
3) How they work Except for barrier methods and the IUD, all commonly used birth control methods work in three ways: 1) By preventing ovulation, 2) By hindering sperm from reaching the egg, and 3) By preventing a newly conceived embryo from implanting in the uterus. The IUD's exact method of action is unknown, but it seems to work only by method 3. Strictly speaking, any birth control method that uses the third action given above cannot be called a contraceptive, since it acts or at least sometimes acts AFTER conception, that is, it kills the newly conceived human being. (Details)
4) Why care? Why should you care about how birth control works? Well, first of all, you ought to know the truth about anything that modifies your body's processes. Secondly, if you are concerned about the morality of abortion (whether you think it should be legal or not), you should be concerned about birth control methods that can cause an early abortion by preventing implantation. Take a look at "How they work".
5) Health Effects Another reason to know the truth about birth control is because it can affect your health. As one example, half of women on "the pill" discontinue its use during the first year due to side effects. Use of "the pill" has also been linked to an increased chance of breast cancer. (Details)
6) So what should I do? If the way in which these forms of birth control operate troubles you -- and I believe it should -- there are other options. Even if you are not bothered by these facts, I hope you will appreciate the value of being better informed about what these drugs do to your body, or to the body of your wife or your daughter. For people who have a serious reason for using birth control, there is an effective alternative that does not require any drugs or devices, the Systematic NFP method (also called Natural Family Planning). For more information, look at the following link or click on "Alternatives" on the menu above.
(Details)
7) Barrier methods an alternative? You might ask whether barrier methods, such as the condom or diaphragm, would be a viable alternative to the drugs and devices mentioned above. If you are in a committed monogamous relationship, then I would suggest that there is no need for barrier methods since NFP mentioned above is more effective and has other benefits. Barrier methods are proven to be unreliable in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. In one particularly sobering case, human papilloma virus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer, has spread to over 1/3 of all female college students in large part due to the ineffectiveness of barrier and other birth control methods in preventing its transmission. Sex with multiple partners will lead to sexually transmitted diseases; that barrier methods provide safety is an illusion.
(Details)
8) Religious/emotional aspects Although it does not get discussed much, some major religions (such as Catholicism and Orthodoxy) have a stance against the use of drugs and devices for birth control. Married couples who do not use artificial birth control have a much lower divorce rate than those who do. For a more thorough discussion of these aspects, take a look at the details link.
(Details)
9) Medical Use of Birth Control Drugs Birth control drugs such as the birth control pill are often prescribed for reasons other than birth control, like treating endometriosis or even clearing up acne. While there may be some cases where this is necessary, it is important to realize that these drugs can kill a newly-conceived human being if you are sexually active, and that they also have serious side-effects. These alternative uses of "the pill" are not approved by the FDA. There are usually alternate drugs which can be used instead to treat the condition for which "the pill" or other drugs were originally prescribed. For further discussion, please see: (Details)
Summary
Many artificial birth control methods have failure rates that are higher than most people know or expect. They also often have significant undesirable side-effects, sometimes very serious. None of them are adequate to protect against all of the common sexually-transmitted infections. Most important of all is the fact that all of the methods except barrier methods or withdrawal often cause early abortions by allowing conception and then causing the death of the embryo. When all of this is considered, unnatural birth-control methods seem both immoral and unwise. Natural family planning can be a viable alternative with none of the health or moral disadvantages.
Links to both sides
The following links are to sites which support the views expressed on my site:
Pharmacists for Life
One More Soul
American Life League
Couple to Couple League
The following are links to sites which DO NOT support my views but which I am providing to help you see the arguments of both sides:
Alan Guttmacher Institute
Planned Parenthood
National Women's Health Information Center
Epigee Birth Control Guide - less biased in my opinion
About Me and This Site
For more information on who I am and why I put this site together, look here.
|
