I am part of the 31 and 28% who uses birth control for reasons other than family planning.

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Oral Contraceptive / The Pill

Part 3 in my ongoing contraceptive series.

Ah, the pill, a well-trusted and popular form of birth control. A pack of oral contraceptives consists of 21 pills with hormones (progesterone and estrogen) and 7 placebos. During the last week of your pack, you have your period. How do these magic perscriptions work at preventing pregnancy? Simple, it tricks your body into thinking it’s pregnant. By doing this, you don’t ovulate and your cervical mucus thickens. If taken regularly at the same time everyday, the pill is over 99% effective. With typical use, it is 92% to 97% effective.

Oral contraceptives also have some bonus side effects. I am one of the unlucky persons who suffers from terrible menstrual cramps. These would cause me to vomit and sometimes even miss school. Once I got on the pill, these cramps disappeared, and my life has benefited greatly. It also can potentially give you a lighter flow, lessen PMS, and subside acne.

And as with any other medication, it has some possible negative side effects. These include weight gain (though one of my friends only gained weight in her breasts), headaches, nausea, and mood swings.

wikipedia article | planned parenthood

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And now Part 2 in my ongoing contraceptive series.

Depo-Provera / Birth Control Shot

If you are a forgetful person when it comes to taking your birth control pill, then you might want to consider the Depo-Provera shot. It’s a hormone-based form of contraception that releases a high level of progestin, thus causing your ovaries to stop releasing eggs. The shot is administered by a health care provider every three months and is 99.7% effective in preventing pregnancy. It does not protect against STDs and STIs like HIV/AIDS.

Of course, as with any form of hormonal birth control, the shot does have its fair share of side effects. These include possible weight gain, light bleeding or spotting, a lack of menstruating, headaches, weight gain, and depression. When you’re on the pill, you can just stop taking it if you experience such negative side effects. If you afflicted by these symptoms while on the shot, then you’re stuck suffering for the entire three month period.

photo credit | wikipedia article | planned parenthood

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In the hopes of further sex educating my readers, I’m going to post a series of contraceptive options. Be prepared to learn fun facts, proper usage, and methods you might have not even considered.

Dental Dam / Vertically Cut Condom

Want to give a female oral sex, but she’s on her period or suffering an STI with open sores? Want to give someone a rim job and lick that asshole dry but know poop comes out of it? Try a dental dam. These sheets of latex provide a barrier between your mouth and the orifice you are pleasuring, yet are still thin enough for your partner to feel the sensations. You can even find some fruit flavored. Most sex stores (and Amazon) carry these delightful treats, but it’s very unlikely you’ll find them next to the condoms at a drug store. Don’t let that deter you, friends! They can be made at home by simply cutting a condom vertically. However, do not use saran wrap thinking it’s an easy substitution. It and other kitchen plastic wrap actually have tiny holes in order to ventilate food during microwaving.

No matter which product you use, make sure you only use one side of the dental dam, and be careful not touch the bottom side if your partner has an STI. Stretch the plastic using both hands and place it on top of the orifice. Either you or your partner can hold it down in place, and then perform your tongue flicking magic. Once finished, throw it away and have your post orgasm cigarette/glass of wine/nap/cuddling session/etc. (although I do not condone smoking).

If used during rimming, you will also be protecting yourself from getting a stomach infection (yes, from poopy bacteria).

photo credit | wikipedia article

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Today, March 30, 2011, is the National Day of Action and marks the 10th anniversary of the Back Up Your Birth Control campaign. It is important for men and women to know emergency contraception options where they live. I’ve posted before on the topic, and even included a handy $10-off coupon. Certain brands of birth control can also act as EC, which is good news if you’re on one of those pills and in a pinch.

For even more resources, check out Princeton’s Emergency Contraception website. They’ve got information on where to get the pill pretty much all over the world and tons of other EC-related stuff.

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I’ve learned something new today. According to Princeton University’s The Emergency Contraception Website, some brands of birth control pills can be used as the morning after pill if you increase the daily dosage. Above is a table of the supported brands (2 of which are generics I’ve taken). This can prove very helpful information if you’re stranded and can’t get to the pharmacy for the regular EC. I don’t know their rate of effectiveness, but with EC, the sooner you take the pills, the better.

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Plan B is the magical pill you can take up to 72 hours after unprotected sex or a contraceptive failure . It can cost as much as $60, so a helpful coupon like this one will come in handy.

Men, you can buy it too.

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