Beyond Birth Control: The Overlooked Benefits of Oral Contraceptive Pills, a study by Rachel K. Jones of the Guttmacher Institute, found that although the primary reason US women use oral contraceptives is to prevent pregnancy, 14% of users —1.5 million women — only use them for non-contraceptive purposes.
Contrary to medications that treat pre-existing illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, or depression, birth control is always preventive medicine. It can both prevent health issues and save enormous amounts of money; as a result, it functions more like a vaccination than a treatment.
With the help of contraceptives, women are finally able to control their own bodies, have greater sexual and social freedom, and have the option to choose control. For the first time, premature childbirth no longer prevented women from pursuing their passions.
Nicole Jennings, a spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics, a pharmaceutical company that specialises in women's health, claims that the pill offered women the power to decide when they wanted to have children, which altered the path of their lives forever.
“The pill is amongst the most prescribed contraceptives in the world. Women describe it as easy to use, convenient and discreet since you don’t have to negotiate with your partner in the case of a condom. It’s also 99% failure-proof when used correctly and has few side effects.”
In honour of World Contraception Day (September 26), Pharma Dynamics has established a gateway for dependable, timely content as part of its ongoing commitment to assisting patients by educating them about various drugs and disease entities. It strives to raise awareness of contraceptive options so that couples can make educated decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
Although a large percentage of South African women (64%) use contraception, issues with quality contraceptive service delivery, fair access, and women's ability to consistently and accurately use the contraceptive methods of their choice persist, particularly for young and rural women.
In order to increase uptake, Jennings believes it is also necessary to fill knowledge gaps in the anatomy of the female reproductive system, conception, fertility, and the operation of contraceptives.
“Some women mistakenly believe that long-term use of the pill can lead to infertility. To the contrary, the pill is designed to temporarily delay fertility. Once off the pill, normal fertility levels return. Taking contraceptives also doesn't increase your risk of developing endometrial and ovarian cancer. It does, however, slightly increase the risk of cervical (low risk) and breast cancer,” said Jennings.
When used effectively, hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, mini pill, patch, vaginal ring, and long-acting reversible methods (coil, injectable, or implant) lower the chance of ectopic pregnancies.
Another misconception is that using the morning-after pill is the same as getting an abortion. These drugs prevent the ovary from momentarily releasing an egg, thus putting the brakes on ovulation.
There are many different types of contraception available to women, which are offered free at public health clinics in South Africa. These include:
Hormonal contraceptives are available in tablet form (more commonly referred to as “the pill”), a patch or vaginal ring. The pill works by inhibiting the body’s natural cycle by preventing ovulation, changing the cervical mucus, which makes it difficult for the sperm to move through the cervix and changing the lining of the uterus to prevent the egg from implanting.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal implants, and hormonal injections are examples of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). This method of contraception works similarly to hormonal contraception and can be used for several years.
Non-hormonal contraceptives include barrier methods, such as the male or female condom, diaphragm (saucer-shaped silicone cup placed inside the vagina to block sperm from entering the womb), cervical cap (a hat-shaped piece of silicone placed over your cervix to keep sperm out. Both the diaphragm and cap must be fitted by a doctor and should be used with spermicide. The sponge works in a similar way to the diaphragm and cap, but already contains spermicide.
Jennings emphasises that the efficacy of each contraceptive method varies and should be considered. “Determining which method of contraception is best for you is dependent on your lifestyle, personal preferences, and any medical conditions you may have.”
Using contraception lowers the number of unintended pregnancies and the need for risky abortions. Talking to your doctor about the various types of birth control and listing the benefits and drawbacks of each is a good place to start.
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