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| Physicians treating - contraception |
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| Contraception... |
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Many women are not adequately protected from an unwanted pregnancy by their choice of birth control method. In fact, about half of all pregnancies (49 percent) are unplanned. Of these unplanned pregnancies, more than half (53 percent) of the women were using some form of birth control, reports the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), a non-profit organization that focuses on reproductive health research.
And as many as half of all unintended pregnancies that occur, are in women over age 40. Because women nearing menopause may mistakenly think they are no longer fertile because their menstrual cycles are no longer regular. |
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Two main reasons for contraceptive failure are: inconsistency -- for example, forgetting to take your birth control pills or not using a condom every time you have sex and the other, incorrect use of contraception -- for example, not inserting a diaphragm the right way or not using enough spermicide.
Contraceptive failure can also occur, because women may use a particular method only occasionally, for example, thinking that less frequent use is safer than continuous use. Or they may stop using a particular method because of bothersome side effects. |
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Contraceptive Options
There are so many different types of contraception available that you should be able to find the right method, but you may have to try several different things before find the one you like most. |
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| Hormonal Contraception - the use of hormonal medication, containing a combination of estrogen and progestin or progestin only, to block ovulation and prevent pregnancy and requires a prescription. ............review your options |
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| Barrier Methods - contraceptive devices that work by physically preventing sperm from entering the female reproductive system. ............review your options |
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| Spermicides - chemical agents placed into the vagina before sexual intercourse that work by immobilizing or killing sperm on contact. ............review your options |
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| IUD (Intrauterine Device) - a small, T-shaped plastic device that may contain either progestin (hormone) or copper, and is inserted into the uterus by a medical professional. ............review |
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None of the methods listed above are 100 per cent effective. The only guaranteed way of preventing pregnancy or the spread of disease is to not have sex!
Also, remember that some methods are quite complicated to use, and a method is only as effective as to how careful the instructions are followed. |
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