TresSugar

Pros and Cons of the NuvaRing

DearSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:30:00 -0800

When it comes to preventing pregnancy, many women opt for hormonal birth control because it's easy to use and extremely effective. Aside from the pill, the NuvaRing is one of the more popular options. If you're considering switching to this form of birth control, you'll want to know the pros and cons, so read more.

Pros

Cons

When used correctly, it's 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. That means you can be spontaneous and have sex without worrying about getting pregnant.
It's simple to use because you only have to think about it twice a month.
Most women say they can't feel it once inserted.
Since it releases a steady amount of hormones, women will notice fewer mood swings than if they were on triphasic birth control pills (where the hormone levels change every week).
If you decide you want to have children, once you stop using the NuvaRing, ovulation should return within 13 to 28 days.

It doesn't protect against STIs.
If you are uncomfortable touching yourself, you may have an issue inserting and removing the NuvaRing.
Some guys complain that they can feel it during sex.
It can slip out while straining to go to the bathroom or during sex, so you have to check it frequently to make sure it's still inside you.
If you smoke while using the NuvaRing, the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects is increased.
The risk of blood clots may be greater with the type of progestin in NuvaRing.
Combination hormonal contraceptives, like the NuvaRing, that contain both estrogen and progestin, can worsen conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and problems with cholesterol.
Hormonal contraceptives may increase your risk of stroke.

Vasectomies: Good Form of Birth Control?

DearSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Women have many birth control options ranging from The Pill to the IUCs, but men can only rely on condoms to prevent pregnancy. There is another more invasive option though - a vasectomy. Although this seems like a procedure for older men, it turns out that more and more young men are opting for this minor surgery. The procedure is short, can be done in a doctor's office with local anesthesia, and the guy can usually go back to work within a day or two. Young men are into this as a form of contraception because they've heard it can be reversed. So is it a good form of birth control? To find out read more.

First off, let's chat a little about what a vasectomy is. This minor surgery involves making a small incision or hole in the upper part of the man's scrotum. His vas deferens tubes are tied off, so that when he ejaculates, there is no sperm is his semen - in other words, he shoots blanks.

This type of surgery is recommended for older men who don't want any more children, or those who are absolutely certain they never want to be a father. Doctors discourage young men from having a vasectomy because although the procedure can be reversed, it isn't always successful. Of the 10 to 15 percent of guys who change their mind about becoming a father, they'll have to deal with a much more involved operation than the initial procedure (three to four hours long) and there are no guarantees it will be successful.

A vasectomy doesn't prevent against STIs, so a guy will still need to wear a condom unless he's certain his partner is STI-free. I think it's better to be safe than sorry so in my opinion, guys should stick with condoms until there's a male pill!

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You, Me, and IUCs: It's Quiz Time!

DearSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

A little while back, I told you about IUCs, which are a kind of long-term birth control that are becoming really popular since many women don't want to have to remember to take their pill every day or interrupt lovemaking to slip on a condom. IUCs allow for spontaneous intimacy and are over 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. There's a lot more to know, so let's see what you remember!

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Sex Myth: You Can't Get Pregnant If You're Nursing

DearSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0700

I really get a kick out of the pregnancy myths floating around, like you can't get pregnant if you pee after sex, two condoms are better than one, and, of course, that you can't get pregnant while breastfeeding. A good friend of mine actually had to learn this one the hard way - she got pregnant while nursing her 10-month old son!

Using breastfeeding as contraception is known as lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), but since it's not 100 percent effective, you shouldn't rely on it unless you don't mind getting pregnant soon after giving birth. According to the World Health Organization, LAM is 98.8 to 99.1 percent effective while breastfeeding for the first six months, but you can conceive without knowing that you're menstrual cycle has returned to normal since you ovulate about two weeks before your period.

If you're not interested in becoming a mother again so soon, your best bet is to talk to your ob/gyn about an effective and safe form of birth control that you can use while breastfeeding.

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Do You Agree With Bristol Palin That Abstinence Is Unrealistic?

DearSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:30:00 -0800

When Sarah Palin was running for vice president, it was all over the news that her daughter, Bristol Palin, only 17 years old, was pregnant and engaged to marry her high school boyfriend. Now 18 and a new mom, she's speaking out in hopes of preventing other young teens from becoming parents. In an interview with Greta Van Susteren on a recent FOX News segment, Bristol said she wants to be an advocate against teen pregnancy, and encourages all teens to wait 10 years until they're married, living in their own home, and stable in their career before starting a family.

Even though her mother is a staunch "right to life" advocate, Bristol believes that in this day and age, her mother's view on abstinence is "not realistic at all." So what do you think? Do you agree that sex is acceptable at a younger age now and pregnancy prevention is what should be the main focus in schools? Or should educators still try to push teens to be abstinent?

If you're curious to see a video of Bristol's interview, read more.

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Tweet Nothings: Ana Marie Cox

TresSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:30:00 -0700

Well, it's actually The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy - but I get the Wonkette founder's point!

Stay tuned for more Tweet Nothings, where we highlight the wit, wisdom, and ridiculousness of Twitter. Speaking of wit and wisdom (ahem!), if you'd like to follow TrèsSugar on Twitter, click here!

Prevent Pregnancy For Five Years With Mirena

DearSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0700

The Mirena is a type of IUD (intrauterine device) that is placed inside your uterus (by a doctor or nurse practitioner) to prevent pregnancy for up to five years. It's a T-shaped piece of plastic that emits hormones into your uterus directly. The hormones stay in the uterus and are not systemic, meaning they do not go to other parts of your body. This is why it won't cause significant weight gain like oral contraceptives sometimes do or increase breast tenderness. Another bonus is that the Mirena might also shorten, lighten, or even eliminate periods altogether while you use it.

OK, but how does Mirena work? The small amounts of levonorgestrel released by Mirena make your cervical mucus thick and tacky so sperm can't swim through it. If the sperm gets in, then they can't make it to the egg to fertilize it.

Another way the Mirena, or IUDs in general, prevent pregnancy is it promotes the production of white blood cells and when a foreign object is placed inside the uterus, your body creates these white blood cells to defend itself. So when you have sex, if sperm does make it through your tacky mucus to your uterus, the white blood cells will attack them.

Interested in how effective it is? To see the stats, just read more
Mirena is 99.9 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and like metal IUDs, it needs to be fitted and removed by a medical professional, but once it's in place, that's it, you're done, no fuss, no muss!

Dear's Advice: Mirena is great if you are looking for hassle-free birth control for up to five years straight. Just a reminder, it does not prevent against STIs, so that's why it's great to use if you are in a long-term relationship with someone you know is disease-free.

It's also a great option if you've already had kids and aren't planning on having anymore, or if you know it's going to be many years before you want to start a family. If this interests you, ask your doctor about Mirena.

Sex Myth: Peeing After Sex Prevents Pregnancy

DearSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:00:00 -0800

While it's a good idea to visit the powder room after you have sex to prevent a UTI, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but it can't prevent you from becoming pregnant. For a short anatomy lesson here, the hole you pee out of is connected to your urethra and the hole that you have sex with leads to your uterus. As my junior high gym/sex ed teacher told me and my fellow terrified classmates, "They're two separate holes!" Peeing after sex may help to flush out bacteria from your urethra, but it doesn't do anything to flush out semen that has been ejaculated inside you.

Dear's Advice: Definitely pee before and after sex to prevent a UTI, but when it comes to preventing an unplanned pregnancy, use a reliable form of birth control.

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How Does Hormonal Birth Control Prevent Pregnancy?

DearSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Many women use hormonal birth control to prevent pregnancy because it is considered to be the most effective method. The Pill is just one kind - the Patch and the NuvaRing contain hormones too.

The NuvaRing, the Patch, and some types of oral contraceptives contain a combination of 2 hormones - estrogen and progestin. Some pills can contain only progestin, but these tend to be less effective.

Estrogen and progestin are hormones that are already found in the female body but when a woman uses hormonal birth control, her body sees that there is already enough hormone in the bloodstream, so it decides that it doesn't need to produce anymore.

These kinds of birth control give your body a stable dose of hormones each day, so the levels in the body don't change. It's the fluctuation of hormones that make ovulation happen. The reason hormonal birth control works so well is because the stable levels of hormones prevent you from ovulating. If your ovaries don't release any eggs, then sperm can't fertilize them and you can't get pregnant.

Dear's Advice: If you're using hormonal birth control and you don't want to get pregnant, be responsible and remember to use it properly and consistently. Missing pills, or forgetting to change the NuvaRing or the Patch can cause you to ovulate resulting in an unplanned pregnancy.

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Do Tell: How Far Should Teens Go to Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy?

DearSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:00:00 -0800

A new initiative is being pushed in the UK to encourage teenage girls to use longer-lasting methods of contraception such as implants, injections, and coils, according to a recent article in the Daily Mail. Since so many people use condoms incorrectly and/or forget to take their pill, the Department of Health believes teenagers are safer using an alternative method to prevent pregnancy, but will that deter them from using condoms all together? Will this increase their chances of contracting STIs? Of course being safe and protected against disease as well as pregnancy is key, so do tell: Do you think this initiative is a good idea or do you think it runs the risk of backfiring?

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