When Pregnancy Occur Without Expectation! (Birth Control)

It was a cold Monday morning around this same season last year. Lecture was going on and the lecturer was moving about teaching us what adipose tissue is, when all of a sudden a girl from the front row ran towards the back class in order to exit the lecture room. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it in time as she threw up few feet to the main exit door. All eyes were on her.

This is not the first time similar situation has occurred in our school. It's not uncommon for people to vomit, it is a symptom of an underlying disease usually associated with digestion problems and malaria fever. Howbeit here in Africa, a mature girl vomiting raises a lot of suspicion. Many girls in school had displayed uncontrollable scenes of dramatic vomiting, but only a few tend to show bulges few months later.

The girl that vomited in class during the anatomy lecture on adipose tissue later was delivered of a set of twins. This proves that either we've been wrong about the pregnancy-vomiting theory or the girls were not as brave as this new mother of twins.

A recent study on Nigerian women between the ages of 15 and 49 confirms that the incidence of unintended pregnancy was about 59 per 1000 women. If this is the case, the country would have a very high birthrate against mortality rate. The most indisputable resultant of this situation tends to lack of adequate resources: food, water, shelter and space. Most of these pregnancies are aborted, 56% of the unintended pregnancies to be precised.

There are lots of complications that result from undergoing an abortion, especially if not monitored by a professional. The question then lies to why are people careless that they get pregnant easily? Many Africans might not be aware but there are possible means of preventing pregnancies, with 80% chance of success. Nigeria has a low contraceptive prevalence, this has led to high poverty rate, increased crime rate and abandoned dreams. The awareness of other standardized method of contraception other than pulling-out technique has established, particularly in rural areas.

Contraception

It is also known as birth control. Contraception includes diverse methods of preventing pregnancy. The planning, making available and utilizing of contraception is known as family planning. It is a deliberate an intended act of controlling pregnancy: when one wants to get pregnant, number of intended children, spacing between children and it includes the question if one plans to have a child at all.

Pregnancy occur at conception, when sperm cells from the semen of the male travels through the female genital tract to fertilize the ovum in the fallopian tube. Most contraception method prevents the ovum from being releases, a considerable amount prevents the sperms from reaching ovum while a few set prevent implantation of the fertilized zygote, this is mostly frowned at by religious sects.

The best contraception method among college students and young adult is total abstinence from sex, or specifically penetrating sex. The best method of contraception adopted by a couple is influenced a number of factors:

• Marital status or situation
• Financial position
• Health risk involved
• Decision to have or not to have children
• Insurance or ability to afford a method

Contraceptive method

Contraceptive methods can be classified into different groups. In this post, we shall be studying these methods under the following groups: Barrier method, hormonal method, IUD and sterilization. One or more method of contraception can be used in effecting maximal desired result.

Barrier Method

This contraceptive group comprises of methods that prevents the communication between ovum and sperms. It includes physical barriers like condoms, diaphragm and vaginal sponges. Although these methods are less effective but they can be potent when used properly. Many men who use condoms don't use them properly, this causes spillage.

Condoms are made of latex or polyurethane sheaths. There are two types of condoms- the male and the female condoms. Condoms are to be worn at all times during sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. To use the male condoms correctly the following steps has to be followed:

• When you buy a condom, you have to check its expiration date.
• Open condom wrapper carefully, do not use scissors, blade, teeth or any sharp objects.
• Make sure the condom is positioned in a manner you can foll it rim on your erect penis.
• Using two finger, pinch the tip of the condom and place it on your erect penis, leave a little space to collect semen.
• Unroll the rim of the condom to the base.
• Have Sex!
• After ejaculation, hold on to the base of the condom as you carefully pull off your partner.
• Dispose condom!!

The male condoms come in difference sizes . The male condoms have a of advantages: prevention of pregnancy, ease of use, availability in different colors and it is readily accessible -condoms are readily available in supermarkets, drugstores and online. Disadvantages of condoms comes with sensitivity to latex or improper use. Men sensitive to latex can use polyurethane condoms.

The female condom fits into the vagina and can be reusable. It is a thin and soft sheath. It has flexible rings at both end- the inner ring is used to hold condom in place inside the vagina during sexual intercourse and the outer ring covers the female external genitalia. The female condom comes in various sizes. It is inferior compared to the male condom in its functions.

Female condoms were invented in the 20th century. Motive is due to the refusal of men to use the male condom, they claim it causes reduced sensation, it has effect on the hardness of the penis and that men could contract STIs.

Diaphragm

A diaphragm is another effective barrier method which fits over the cervical opening of a woman. It is a flexible hollowed rubber cup filled with spermicidal cream or jelly. It is left in place for 6 - 8 hours after sexual intercourse. Diaphragm works by preventing sperms from getting to the ovum. When used along with spermicides, it becomes more effective. Failure rate with this method in pregnancy prevention is as low as 12%.

Diaphragm is prescribed by health care providers who determine the correct type and size for the woman. Use of diaphragm might seem as one of the best contraceptive method, however there have been reported cases of allergic reactions either to diaphragm, spermicide or both. It also increases the occurrence of urinary tract infection alongside vaginal yeast infection.

Vaginal Sponge

As the name implies, it is a sponge. It is made of from soft squishy plastic. Vaginal sponge which contain spermicides are inserted into the vaginal to cover the cervix. The vaginal sponge can be used along side spermicides or condoms in effecting maximal results. The sponge functions to prevent pregnancy by preventing entrance of sperm into the cervix. Vaginal sponge have fabric loop that make it easy to take out.

Hormonal Method

Hormones are responsible for a vast majority of changes that occur in the body. Hormones responsible for ovulation and menstruation are lutenizing hormone and estrogen. After ovulation, estrogen and progesterone are produced in high quantity.

These are hormones necessary for maintaining pregnancy- As long as these hormones are produced, the body can be fooled into believing it is pregnant thereby preventing further release of egg for fertilization. The problem there is that at menstruation, this hormone level drops, that is where hormonal method of contraception comes to play.

Hormonal method of contraception uses estrogen and progesterone to control pregnancy. They act by preventing the woman's ovary from releasing an egg egg during her cycle. There are different hormonal method application, these include:

• Birth control pills
• Implants (Subcutaneous)
• Injections (Intramuscular every 3 months)
• Skin patch
• Vaginal ring
• Emergency contraception

Hormonal method is the most effective in pregnancy prevention. Nevertheless, they don't prevent STIs. Alongside preventing pregnancy, hormonal methods have other health benefits too.

Intrauterine Devices (IUD)

They are tiny T shaped devices placed inside of the uterus. They are usually made of plastic or copper and some release progesterone. An IUD can be in place for as long as 5 to 10 years, it is also very effective- 99%. IUD act by changing the direction of sperm movement. A bonus to this method is it is reversible unlike the sterilization methods.

Sterilization

This is the surest method of preventing pregnancy. It include vesectomy for the male and tubal ligation for the female. These methods are highly irreversible. The ducts that transports sperm from the testes are surgically ligated in vasectomy while the fallopian tubes are ligated in tubal ligation: These ducts are permanently closed preventing communication with the other end of the duct. Sterilization methods are usually adopted by older couples or people who do not which to have children.

Breastfeeding, Withdrawal and Spermicides

Another potent method of preventing pregnancy include breast-feeding. Another name for this method is called lactational amenorrhea (LAM; Lactational refers to breast feeding while amenorrhea refers to absence of menses. ). A breast feeding mother has some hormones released into her blood, these hormones prevent ovulation which ultimately prevents pregnancy. Breastfeeding is scheduled every four hours during the day and every six hours during the night. It is a highly effective and cheap method adopted after bearing a child. However, it can only be used as a preventive measure in the first six month after having a child.

Withdrawal method is an old and unreliable method of preventing pregnancy. It involve removing the penis from the vaginal before ejaculation. This success chances of this method is usually enhanced with the aid of spermicides.

Spermicides are chemical substances that slows down the movement of sperms. There are different form of spermicide available, these include: spermicidal creams, gels, foams and suppositories. Spermicides are usually combined with other methods of pregnancy prevention.

Effects of Family Planning

Family planning not only benefits the individual but the society at large. African countries have the highest birth rate with Angola topping 44.2 / 1000 population. Angola has a low death rate of 9.2 deaths / 1000 population- the result of this is increased poulation than they can feed. There would be increase in poverty rate, psychological problems, inadequate social amenities, increased crime rates, illiteracy, increased teenage pregnancy (which lead backs to the initial cause of the problem) among others.

Many Africans do not use family method due to some reasons as stated below:

• They believe it is foreign and could have hidden faults.
• Loyalty to religions and cultures.
• They claim it reduce sensitivity and satisfaction.
• They believe children are a gift from God and one should not control how they receive these gifts.
• Poverty: They can't afford it.

Recently, in Nigeria, many are now opening up to the idea of family planning (the phrase Aaki n ka iye omo fun olomo is reducing drastically). Many prominent and finicially stable people in the society are discouraging this act of lack of concern to the amount of children one has- what is the essence of having children one can't carter for?

The government and different non-governmental organisations are also doing wonderfully well in infiltrating campuses as well as rural areas. Condoms are freely distributed in campuses. Qualitative speeches are made in church and mosque seminars for couples. It is expected that in a few years to come, family planning will be more than a norm among west Africans and the world as a whole.

Thank you!!

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Further Reading:

• Contraception
• Contraceptive methods
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Student Birth Control Perception
• Birth rate
• Death rate

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