FAQ for Birth Control
1. What is birth control?
Birth control is an artificial method of avoiding pregnancy and it is also known as contraception. It is done to restrict the number of children and to increase the age gap between them within the family.
2. What are the various methods of birth control?
Methods of birth control may be temporary (reversible) or permanent. Following are the reversible methods.
- Abstinence (avoid sexual intercourse)
- Withdrawal (ejaculation out side the vagina)
- Diaphragms or cervical caps
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
Permanent birth control method is the process of sterilization where the reproductive tubes of the man or the woman are blocked by surgery.
3. How to get a prescription for birth control?
Family planning clinics have programs especially designed to help people get birth control, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, and other reproductive health care. These clinics usually offer their services at very low cost or free of cost for people who can’t afford to pay.
4. What are the factors to be considered while choosing a contraceptive?
Following are some factors, which help in choosing contraceptives:
- Effective against the proposed
5. What are the advantages of birth control?
The advantages of birth control are as follows.
- Oral contraception: Regulates the menstrual cycle, helps in certain skin conditions like acne.
- Condoms: Helps prevent STDs; these are inexpensive and easy to acquire.
- Diaphragms and cervical caps: Do not interrupt the sex act if inserted well in time and are usually not felt by either partner during sexual intercourse.
- IUDs: Are effective and long-term methods of birth control.
6. What are the disadvantages of birth control?
The disadvantages of birth control include:
- Some people feel that the sensation dulls with the use of a condom
- Difficulty in insertion of the diaphragm
7. Is there a weight gain when a hormonal method of birth control is used?
Weight gain is a very common side-effect of hormonal methods of birth control. Weight gain is due to an increase in appetite and easy fat deposition, as a result of the increase in hormones.
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: August 10, 2011