Birth Control

Crystal Palushik-Kandt

Professor Ritterbusch

English 102

April 20, 2008

Research Paper Title

“For a woman forbids herself to conceive and fights against it.” – Lucretius, 50 BCE (pg 23 humble little condom). Many young women do not want to become pregnant. They may, however, want to engage in sexual relations with their significant other. Everyone has the right to engage in sexual relations with another person, but when it comes to not conceiving many look to one of many ways of birth control. When women want to engage in sexual behavior but do not want to become pregnant they may decide to take the pill. The pill is one of the most effective was of preventing pregnancy. The pill has many advantages, noncontraceptive benefits, and prevents painful pregnancies.

“In 1965, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in Griswold v. Connecticut that married couples had a constitutional right to use contraception in order to plan their family.” (pg XI all about BC) Griswold was one of many ruling on reproductive freedom. The first pill was called Enovid and it was used for menstrual disorders in 1958. After many scientific studies and group testing, the FDA officially approved Enovid in 1960. Since then, the number of maternal and infant deaths has decreased drastically. The pill allows women the choice of whether or not they want to conceive.

There are two basic types of the pill, combination pills and mini-pills. Both contain synthetic hormones similar to the ones produced by a woman’s ovaries and prevent pregnancy, though they work in different ways. The combination pill contains both estrogen and progestin, and work by preventing ovulation. Estrogen is a female hormone produced by the ovaries. Progestin is a natural or synthetic substance that mimics the actions of progesterone, a female hormone which is important for the regulation of ovulation and menstruation. It is used to cause menstrual periods in women who have not reached it yet. That is how women on the pill get their menstrual cycle (yahoo). The combination pill has 28 pills; the first 21 pills in the pack are active. Active pills contain hormones to prevent pregnancy. The last seven pills are inactive pills, usually called reminder pills. They do not contain hormones, and the woman’s menstrual cycle occurs during this time. The mini-pill contains only progestin, and works by thickening the cervical mucus which creates a barrier that keeps sperm from joining the egg. Mini-pills only come in packs of 28. All of the pills are active, so women do not have a menstrual cycle (pg 136 all about BC).

The pill must be taken at the same time every day. After seven days, the pill becomes effective. During the first two or three months, a woman may encounter some side effects, but they are usually minimal. Some of the effects include spotting, weight gain or loss, nausea, breast tenderness, and a decreased sex drive. (pg 139 all about BC) Some of these side effects can cause discomfort and interrupt with everyday life. However, none of the side effects are severe, and will subside after a couple of months if the pill is taken correctly.

Seeing side effects on any kind of medication may caution a user. However, when comparing the side effects with the advantages of using the pill, it is obvious that the advantages outweigh the side effects. The main advantage of the pill is the effectiveness. Less than one out of 100 women who correctly use the pill for one year will become pregnant (pg 95 the contraception guidebook). This puts a lot of ease when choosing whether or not the pill is right for you. It is especially important for young women who are not ready to start a family, but still want to engage in sexual activity. To be effective, the user must take it correctly. Another advantage is that it is simple and convenient to use. It must be taken everyday at the same time; many people take it when they first wake up. The pill can be taken at any time during the day, so it is convenient because it goes with the schedule of the woman taking it.

Taking it at a time that is convenient to the woman is a great advantage. Another advantage that goes along with that is that taking the pill does not interrupt with intercourse. Some contraceptives interfere with intercourse, such as male and female condoms and spermicides. These interferences can ruin the mood, so the pill is more convenient for couples who do not desire the interruption. For the couples who do not wish to start a family right away but would like to down the road, the pill has another advantage. It is easily reversible. Women who ovulate, the release of an egg, regularly before going on the pill will generally