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Planning to not plan a family

» Choosing the right birth control for you

Mercedes Deutscher
Staff Writer

A: a college student, there

is never a better time than
now to discover. Discover the
world, discover your dreams,
and discover relationships and
friendships more meaningful

many college students aren’t
ready to discover is parenthood.
Let’s be honest, while
starting a family may be one of
the most important events to
occur in one’s life (if they want
one), not many college students

for the next 18 years.

Our society is changing.
Women are placing more
importance on their education
and careers and less on getting
married and starting a family.
According to Statistics Canada,
in 1975 Canadian women got
married at an average age of 22
and had children at an age of
26. Today, that has increased to
an age of 29 for both marriage

and first childbirth. The largest : wishing to have children at

: all, some irreversible and

: permanent solutions are

: available. Men and women can
: be sterilized with both surgical

: and non-surgical procedures.

contribution to these changes
in family planning is the
widespread use of birth control.

People must ask themselves
important questions
when choosing a form of
contraception. How will the
birth control affect my body?
Do I wish to start a family one
day? How far away is that time?
If I decide to stop taking birth
control, how easy would it be?

Birth control comes in
many intake methods and
affects women and men alike.
All these methods are different
because they affect each
individual differently and come
in diverse strengths to best fit
with a woman and a couple’s
plans.

The most common choice
in hormonal birth control is the
pill. Pills allow for a regulated
menstrual cycle and have a
relatively low impact on the
body. However, they must be
taken around the same time
every day. Ifa day is missed,
the effectiveness of the pill is
hugely compromised.

For women who have
difficulty sticking to a routine,
other options are available.

A vaginal ring (like

: NuvaRing) can be taken once

: amonth. The user inserts the

: ring into her vagina and leaves
: it there for three weeks. It

: should be taken out the fourth
: week (when the user will

: usually get her period).

The Depo-Provera shot is

: an injection that a woman can
than those of the past. But what : receive every 12 weeks. While it
: is inexpensive and doesn’t need
: to be taken often, it usually

: causes the user’s period to

: disappear.

For those planning not to

: have children for a long time,
: better options include: a rod-
are ready to take on parenthood :

shaped implant can be inserted

: into the user’s arm—effective

: for up to three years; or copper
: and hormonal intrauterine

: devices (IUDs) which can be

: inserted into the uterus—

: effective for up to five years.

Longer lasting forms

: of contraception should be

: thoroughly thought-out before
: use as they may be expensive to
: remove.

Lastly, for those not

All of the aforementioned

: methods of hormonal birth

: control should be properly

: researched and discussed with
: a doctor before beginning use.
: Although they all are g9 per

: cent effective in preventing

: pregnancy (when used

: properly), they all come with

: side effects. Many cause the

: loss of the menstrual cycle.

: Other common and unwanted :
: side effects include weight gain, :
: changes in appetite, a lower sex :
: drive, headaches, depression, :
: and nausea.

When choosing to stop

: take hormonal birth control,
: it will usually take the body :
: several months to return to the :
way it was before. :

With longer lasting birth

: controls, once the user decides:
: to stop taking the birth control, :
: it may take a while (usually four :
: months or more) forthe body:
: to start having the menstrual
: cycle again. Couples who stop
: using hormonal birth control

: in order to conceive may

: find themselves waiting and
: disappointed, since it can takea :
: couple of years for a woman to
: ovulate properly again.

That is not to say that

: hormonal birth control will

: bring only negative side effects.
: It can provide relief for severe
: pre-menstrual symptoms,

: may help with acne and skin

: problems, and help regulate

: otherwise irregular menstrual
: symptoms. Some women even
: take hormonal birth control

: not to just prevent pregnancy,
: but also to improve and

: stabilize the aforementioned

: circumstances.

However, for those who

: may not desire hormonal birth
: control for whatever reason,

: non-hormonal methods are

: available.

   
    

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The most common form

: of non-hormonal birth control

is the use of condoms. Though

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: always be used with another

: type of birth control to be the
: most effective.

: male condoms are the typically :
: used variety, female condoms

: are also available. The greatest
: advantage of condoms is that

: they not only protect against

: unwanted pregnancy, but

: also protect against STIs.

: Unfortunately, condoms are

: still not as effective as their

: hormonal counterparts.

: Condoms may be put on

: improperly or may break. To

: prevent breakage, condoms

: should be used with some sort
: of lubricant. A person using a

: condom must know the proper
: procedure to put a condom on.
: If either partner is allergic to

: latex, polyurethane condoms,

: are available (although not as

: effective). Condoms should

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Another form of non-

: hormonal birth control is

: spermicide. Spermicide is

: ajelly-like substance that a

: woman inserts in her vagina,

: and it helps prevent sperm from
: reaching the uterus.

Knowing the different

: options, what questions to

: ask, how they affect the user,

: and how the user would like to

: plan (or not plan) a family are

: important considerations when
: choosing a birth control. Many
: people will switch what kind

: of birth control they use over

: time to better suit their needs.

: Birth control is as unique as the
: individual, and must be treated
: as such.

YEARS