Let’s Have a Conversation on Birth

Control
There are two words society hates more than periods: Birth control.
Growing up going to a private, Catholic high school, I felt like I had to keep the fact that I was on
birth control on the down-low. I was not even sexually active; I was just taking the medication to
control my period patterns. Nonetheless, I dreaded the look the office lady would give me once a
year when we turned in those healthcare sheets that listed our medications.
I was lucky enough to receive great sex ed from my public middle school, but 75% of the kids in my
high school could not tell you what a condom was. One of my friends did not even know that you
could contract HIV if you were not a gay man. It was horrendous. The only birth control they knew
was abstinence.
Abstinence
Yes, abstinence is the only birth control method that is 100% effective.
However, it is unrealistic to only provide sexually curious, hormone-driven teenagers that abstinence
is the only acceptable version of birth control. If there is a will, there is a way, and these kids were
going to find out about the pleasures of sex one way or another.
I get it, it was Catholic school, but I found it wildly dangerous to not teach teenagers about safe sex.
It is not just about pregnancy and abortion, or even love, but these kids were severely undereducated
about sexually transmitted diseases.
Condoms
Condoms are not the most reliable form of birth control, but they are one of the only forms that
protects people from STDs. Condoms are easy, especially if you do not want to go through the hassle
of going on birth control in a medically disastrous time in America or do not what your parents to
know about your funny business.
A lot of people try to get out of using condoms by saying they are allergic to latex. Well, they make
latex-free condoms! Therefore, get your butt down to your local CVS, Target, Walgreens, literally
anywhere and stop trying to convince your girlfriend/boyfriend that “Pull and Pray” is a reliable form
of birth control.
 Male Condoms
Many people do not know that there are female condoms that you can insert in the vaginal cavity.
The act the same as male condoms as a barrier method of birth control but lines the internal wall of
the vagina or anus, rather than wrapping around a penis.
The Pill
Ahhhh, the pill, how nostalgic. The pill was my first form of birth control and I had switch mine
three times because I could not find a dosage and brand that worked for me.
When used correctly, birth control pills are efficient 91% of the time. The pill is a great method of
birth control, but can be extremely annoying to take every day at the same time, especially with the
busy and ever-changing schedule of a teenage girl.
Plan B
Plan B, or the “Morning After Pill,” is a small pill typically taken with 12 hours of initial penetration.
While it is great if you did not use a condom or forgot to take your birth control one night, it is not
very inclusive. Plan B costs around $50, making your one night of fun a costly event. Plan B also
loses its effectiveness the more a person weighs, most commonly around the 180-pound mark.
 Plan B Pill
Birth Control Shots
If you are terrified of needles, much like myself, I would not recommend this birth control to you.
However, if needles do not bother you, the birth control shot is a very effective type of contraceptive.
It has a 94% effective rate and lasts around 3 months. Sometimes they can be administered at home,
but most physicians recommend to them in office to ensure that they are being properly injected.
Implants
An IUD, or an intrauterine device, usually lasts around 3-6 years and has a 99% effective rate. There
are two types of IUDs, progestin and copper, with copper lasting up to 12 years. The appeal of
contraceptive implants is the fact that you do not have to remember taking a pill every day at the
same time, essentially being fool proof. However, many women complain of a painful insertion
process and use an inserter to open your cervix.
Last and MOST CERTAINLY not least, the Nexplanon. Nexplanon are also implants that are placed
in your arm after a numbing injection. They have a 99% effective rate and can last up to four years. I
have the Nexplanon implant, and it has been of prefect source of birth control and helping to ease my
period and cramping. Nexplanon has been my favorite type of birth control and I am most definitely
an advocate of it.

I have been on so many different types of birth control and have definitely found the one that
accommodates myself and my health issues. With that being said, it is vital for you to do your own
research and speak to your physician about which option fits you.

Always use protection and advocate for yourself!