Birth Control :: Contraceptives, Birth Control Essays

The practice of birth control preventsconception, thus limiting reproduction. The termbirth control, coined by Margaret SANGER in1914, usually refers specifically to methods ofcontraception, including STERILIZATION. The footing family planning and planned parenthoodhave a broader application. METHODS OFBIRTH CONTROL Attempts to control fertilityhave been going on for thousands of years.References to preventing conception are constitute inthe writings of priests, philosophers, andphysicians of ancient Egypt and Greece. Somemethods, though crude, were based on soundideas. For example, women were advised to puthoney, olive oil, or oil of cedar in their vaginas toact as barriers. The stickiness of these substanceswas thought to slow the movement of sperm intothe uterus. Wads of soft wool soaked in lemonjuice or acetum were used as tampons, in thebelief that they would make the vagina sufficientlyacidic to kill the sperm. The Talmud mentionsusing a piece of sponge to block the cervix, t heentrance to the uterus. spermatozoan Blockage Severalmodern methods of birth control are practiced bycreating a barrier between the sperm and the eggcell. This consists of the use of a chemical foam, acream, or a suppository. Each contains achemical, or spermicide that stops sperm. Theyare not harmful to vaginal tissue. Each moldiness beinserted shortly before COITUS. Foams aresquirted from aerosol containers with nozzles orfrom applicators that dispense the correct amountof foam and spread it over the cervix creams andjellies are squeezed from tubes and held in placeby a plosive or other device andsuppositories--small waxy pellets melted by bodyheat--are inserted by hand. More effective atkeeping sperm and egg apart are mechanicalbarriers such as the diaphragm and cervical cap(both used with a spermicide), the sponge, and thecondom. A diaphragm is a shallow rubber cup thatis coated with a spermicide and positioned overthe cervix before intercourse. Size is importantwomen need to have a pelvic examination and geta prescription for the proper diaphragm. Thecervical cap, less than half the size but used in thesame way, has been operable worldwide fordecades. It was not popular in the United States,however, and in 1977 it failed to gain approval bythe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in1988, the FDA again permitted its sale. The cautionary sponge, which keeps its spermidicalpotency for 48 hours after being inserted in thevagina, was approved in 1983. Like thediaphragm and cervical cap, the sponge has anestimated effectiveness rate of about 85%. Thedevices only rarely produce side effects such asirritation and allergic reactions and, very rarely,infections. The condom, a rubber sheath, is rolled