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Birth Control Rises Among Muslim Women, Don't Tell the Men

TresSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:10 -0800

Nothing in Islam forbids birth control, but like Christianity the religion does extol procreation. So as the pill becomes more accessible in Afghanistan - a country with a fertility rate of six children per woman - it's no surprise it's controversial. Now that many women have access to it, they are forced to take it behind their husbands' backs.

Afghanistan is not the only third-world country (or any-world country, really) where women hide birth control. The trend became apparent when a Double X writer traveled through Kenya this Summer and interviewed more than 100 women and 25 medical professionals about contraception use and women's health. One doctor said the number of women asking about contraception, without their husband’s knowledge, has increased from around 100 per year to 100 per month in just a year. Yet, there are still doctors who refuse to prescribe the pill (that happens in the US!), nurses who report its use to husbands, and conspiracy theorists who believe those promoting it are on the "Americans' payroll."

Consider the ramifications of a woman lying to her husband in a Muslim country, and this all sounds like a bittersweet victory. Yet it's not all that different from how the US spent the better part of the 20th century, when, even after the pill became legal in 1960, doctors refused to prescribe it, black nationalists believed it would lead to race suicide, and the women who did take it often did so in secrecy, behind their husbands' backs.

Sponges, Chastity Belts and Douches, Oh My!

TresSugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0800

From the early-Egyptian contraceptive sponge to the horrifying Lysol douche of the Great Depression - man and womankind has been trying to find ways to keep from getting preggers for quite a while. Check out some of these devices below and go to Newsweek if you're interested in learning more about the history of birth control.

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Some Doctors Object to the Pill on Moral Grounds

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0700

In the very first episode of Mad Men, Peggy Olson goes to the gynecologist seeking a prescription for the pill. Watching the scene, I cringed as the doctor grills Peggy about why she would want the contraceptive pills if she were not married. He says: "As a doctor we'd like to think that putting a woman in this situation isn't going to turn her into some sort of strumpet." Although he gave her the prescription, he tells Peggy he will take her off the medicine if she "abuses" it.

If you're thinking: thank goodness I don't live in the 1960s when doctors were allowed to pass judgment on our sex lives, think again! A recent USA Today story explains how doctors are using conscience clauses to object to the pill as well as to abortion. One doctor in San Antonio told the paper that the pill would not protect her patient from the "emotional trauma from multiple partners" or sexually transmitted diseases. She said: "I could not ethically give that type of medication to a single woman." Wow. This modern doctor goes even further than the one featured on Mad Men!

The Bush administration enacted an ambitious conscience clause that says that hospitals receiving federal money cannot refuse to hire nurses or doctors who morally object to abortion or even certain forms of birth control. These regulations, which could limit access to contraception for women who rely on public clinics or those who live in rural areas, have yet to be rolled back by President Obama as promised. What do you think about doctors who withhold contraception from women because of moral objections?

Condoms vs. the Pill: Which Do You Prefer?

TresSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

When it comes to preferred methods of contraception among women, condoms have now caught up to the contraceptive pill in the UK. According to a new survey, condoms and the pill are equally popular among women, and those who said they preferred condoms cited its ability to protect against STDs. Of course I'm sure many cautious women use both methods, and with all the other contraception options out there, maybe you use neither! But if you had to choose between the condom and the pill, which do you prefer?

Skip the Pill: Some Young Women Want to Be Sterilized

TresSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Kerry Balley, 24, is regular woman who knows she never wants to have kids. In today's Daily Mail, Kerry reveals that she plans to be sterilized before her upcoming wedding. She writes:

I can't bear the thought of being tied down, a dependable mother and stable. I admire women who do it, but I've come to terms with the fact that it's just not who I am and I would be completely hopeless at it, not to mention resentful. It's not really a decision I've made, I just know.

There is debate about whether women of a certain age, like Kerry, should be denied permanent sterilization. While some argue that healthcare providers should not help a younger woman do something irreversible that she might later regret, others, like the International Planed Parenthood Federation, say that each woman, regardless of age, should be able to decide whether or not she wants children.

Do you think there should be a minimum age requirement for irreversible procedures like sterilization?

Next Up For Male Contraception: Reversible Hormone Injections

TresSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

When it comes to birth control options, women have the pill, the patch, the ring, the diaphragm, IUDs . . . the list goes on and on. Men have the condom. Scientist are working on more convenient ways for men to take charge of birth control, and now couples in Europe are being recruited to test a new form of male contraception: reversible hormone injections.

Men would get the injections every two months, causing their sperm count to drop to levels that make conception nearly impossible. The effects would be fully reversible.

Do you think men will get on board with this? Would you still use contraception yourself, even if your partner received these injections?

Hump Day: I Don't Like Hormonal Birth Control, So Now What?

TresSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Welcome to Hump Day,TrèsSugar's sex advice column. Are you confused about sex? Do you have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird? Send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:

“I went to my OBGYN to ask about non-hormonal birth control. (The Pill basically ruined my sex drive.) She pushed the Pill and the Nuva Ring, and said that condoms have a 15 percent failure rate. I don’t like that she was pushing hormonal birth control. Is it possible for hormonal birth control to lower your desire, and if I don’t want to use it, what’s my best, and safest, bet?”

To hear Dr. Glickman's advice, read more

Unfortunately, yes, birth control pills can lower libido. There are at least a couple of reasons for that. First, the Pill inhibits the production of androgens by your ovaries, including testosterone. While ovaries don’t produce as much testosterone as testicles do, it’s still an important part of women’s sexual arousal. The Pill also seems to increase the production of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG). SHBG binds to testosterone, which further reduces the amount of it that you have available. On top of that, an article published in the 2006 Journal of Sexual Medicine found that some of these changes may last for quite a while after you stop taking the Pill. Some women report that the NuvaRing has similar effects, although others don’t have any change in their libidos and others actually have an increase in sex drive.

15 percent is a bit higher than many estimates for condom failure rates, but part of why it’s hard to pin down more precisely is that many of the reasons for condoms not working is user error. Here are some tips on reducing the odds of that happening. And since each brand of condom is a bit different, this page has lots of advice for finding the right one for you.

Even though condoms aren’t 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, they go a long way towards lowering your risk for sexually transmitted infections. But if your focus is on contraception rather than STI prevention, there are some other options. Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a lot more effective and safer than is popularly believed. They are currently available with or without hormones, although it’s worth noting that the level of hormones that end up in your system is a lot lower than what you get from the Pill and the non-hormonal IUDs can cause heavier menstrual bleeding or cramps.

Unfortunately, most of the more effective forms of contraception either include some form of hormones or are irreversible. The only other way to avoid pregnancy is to keep sperm from coming into contact with the ovum. Obviously, condoms do that, but if you want other options, you might want to check out cervical caps which have about a 10 percent failure rate if you’ve never given birth vaginally and a 25 percent failure rate if you have. (You can reduce that with a spermicide.) You could also check out the vaginal contraceptive film, a strip of spermicide that you insert into the vagina where it melts and provides up to three hours of protection. It also turns out that withdrawal is more effective than was previously thought, with an 18 percent pregnancy rate. Since these other approaches are clearly less effective than implants, the Pill or other hormonal methods, a lot of people use more than one. Condoms plus cervical caps or condoms plus withdrawal improves your odds a lot.

I’d really like to see some other forms of birth control that don’t mess with women’s hormones; so many women report having all sorts of side effects. There are some gel products being developed that will (hopefully) be effective as both contraception and STI preventatives and at least some of them are working their way through clinical trials. So eventually, there will be something better for you but in the meantime, I hope this helps.

The Très Bizarre History of Birth Control

TresSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:00:30 -0700

From the Rythmeter to the IUD, birth control has come a long way over the years. But do you know how far? While condoms are a classic that date back thousands of years, there are many other methods that history - thankfully - forgot. Health has an endlessly fascinating look back at birth control's bizarre history, so I've culled some of my favorite facts. Take the quiz and see how much you know.

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Did Your Parents Talk to You About Birth Control?

TresSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:10:00 -0700

A new government report shows that most US teens are not learning about birth control from their parents and, according to the data, there may be good reason to change that fact. The report shows that rates for AIDS and syphilis infection have risen among boys aged 15 to 19.

Perhaps parents that don't talk to their kids about contraception feel worried about condoning sexual activity or simply want to avoid an awkward conversation. Of course, a few uncomfortable minutes are worth reducing health risks. Did your parents discuss the topic with you when you were a teen?

What Do You Know About the Unloved Vasectomy?

TresSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0700

USA Today recently discussed the challenge of selling male sterilization. A vasectomy, a quick operation that prevents pregnancy by blocking the tubes that carry sperm, is simpler and safer than female sterilization. Even so, they are much less common than female sterilization, since men are less comfortable with medical procedures, especially when, let's face it, it involves their penises.

Despite the PR problem, vasectomies are gaining in popularity during these tough economic times. Take this quiz to find out what you know about this form of birth control.

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