Benefits Of Contraception for College Students

Benefits Of Contraception for College Students’ Audience and Culture Analysis
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Benefits Of Contraception for College Students’ Audience and Culture Analysis
I would like to ask who among you here knows the definition of contraception? According to Szucs et al., 2020 contraceptionis the use of any device or method to prevent pregnancy in sexually active women. In the wake of the new technology, many contraceptionor birth control methods are being used to prevent pregnancies. Today I will discuss the benefits of contraception methods such as pills and implants. I will also mention the use of condoms which I feel many of us do not acknowledge to be a birth control. I feel this is an important topic for us to discuss due to the increasing risks of unwanted pregnancies. It is unfortunate that many people do not have awareness about the contraceptive while others ignore their significance. My objective today is to inform you about different birth controls methods and challenge you to think about the pros and cons of every method. I believe this information is timely as it will help to lower the number of mortalities connected to pregnancy and maternal-ill health-related cases. Contraception is a broad topic that has multiple alternatives that can affect your life in various ways, thus we will discuss the benefits of contraceptive methods such as pill, implant and condom to help you find the one that works for your body.
First, we will discuss condoms as it is the major contraception used today. Although many people believe that condoms have a 98% success rate, in reality its efficacy is lower. This is due to the lack of knowledge in the proper use of condoms. When a condom is damaged it is rendered useless. Besides, many people are not keen on checking the expiry dates. When a condom is used past its expiry date it easily gets damaged making it ineffective. You need to remove the condom carefully from the sealed packets. Unfortunately, many people use teeth to tear the packet and damaging the condom. While wearing the condom, the penis must be erect. The air at the end of the condom should be removed gently by pressing the teat. Moreover, you should ensure the condom is rolled carefully onto the erect penis to ensure it does not tear. Also, a condom should be rolled all the way to the base of the penis. However, if the condom rolls onto the pennis wrongly you should throw it away as the sperms may not adhere to the condom. I would like to urge you not to have sexual intercourse with a condom the wrong way as this is where many people are going wrong. When the condom slips and slides off during the act then its use becomes useless. Moreover, after the ejaculation you should also ensure that the condom is firmly held at the base of the penis while withdrawing. You can be quick to withdraw the condom-covered penis before the erection is lost.
Indeed, using the condom has multiple advantages over the other contraception methods. First, it can be purchased without a prescription. Many of the contraception methods need an assistance from the health care provider along with a prescription. As such, condoms are great in preventing the teen pregnancies. Also using a condom is easy. The healthcare providers do not have to administer the contraception like the hormonal injection or the IDU. There are no special skills required to use the condoms. Moreover, condoms do not physically amend the fertility of the person using them. When one wants to conceive there are hindrances as seen in the other birth control methods. Also, the product is readily available and free in many places. It is possible to pick a pack of condoms with ease. Besides, it helps to protect the sexually active people against the STIs. When one uses a condom, they helping to create a barrier that limits the exchange of bodily fluids, which helps to avoid the transmission of the sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDs. It is perfect for people who change partners often as they are in a high risk of contacting the STIs. Equally, it can be exciting to use the condoms as they are found in different textures and flavors so as to improve the sexual experience. They help in prolonging the erection and improve a partner’s pleasure. Thus, I believe when one uses condoms properly, they have a high success rate. With the easy availability and their inexpensive nature, the youth have no reason to engage in unsafe sexual intercourse.
Regardless, the use of condoms has many disadvantages. One the people with latex allergies cannot use condoms regularly. They should consider using the polyurethane condoms but they are expensive. Besides, when using the condoms there is reduced sensitivity during intercourse. The latex condom creates a barrier during sex which makes many couples using the condom to complain of reduced sensitivity. When there is an excessive friction during intercourse, the condom is likely to tear, resulting in an unwanted pregnancy. Also, there are many times when the condom slips and accidentally releases semen into the vagina. The incorrect removal and disposal of condom results in unwanted pregnancies.
According to Schrager et al., 2020 the birth control pills do not only prevent pregnancy but they also reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. Besides, they help to protect the users against the pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancies. Many people think that the pills are only taken to prevent pregnancy, but 14% of the pill users take them for other reasons. For instance, the pills make the period to be less painful and more regular. This is because the pills contain the hormone progestin and estrogen which are similar to the ones made by the ovaries. When one takes the hormone containing pills for 3 weeks and 1 week of inactive pills they usually get their periods the week they take the inactive pills. Indeed, the pills are being used to make the monthly cycle to be shorter. For instance, there are products that have 24 active pills and 4 inactive pills thus shortening the monthly cycle. There are also pills that are being used to extend the monthly cycles where the user takes the active pills for 3 months before taking a break. As such, it means the user will have their periods four times in a year. Moreover, the pills are helping women to avoid periods during their busy schedules like social events and exams.
Taking the birth control pills helps to lower the risk of heavy menstrual bleeding. It prevents ovulation and makes the lining of the uterus to be thinner. Many young women who were missing schools or work are now able to go on with their normal lives without distraction. Indeed, the lighter periods helps to lower the risk of anemia which results from heavy bleeding. The pills also help to ease the painful cramps as they lighten the period and prevents the ovulation. For individuals with premenstrual syndrome the birth control pills help in easing symptoms such as weight gain, acne, and mood swings. This is because the pills help to even the hormone levels during the cycle. With balanced hormonal levels one experiences fewer menstrual-related migraines.
However, the use of birth control pills increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This includes stroke, and venous thromboembolism. Women who are 30 years and above using the pills are at high risk of serious illness or death due to the effects from adverse cardiovascular (Nicholls et al., 2020). The intake of lower dose of the pills results in the risk of cardiovascular diseases that are linked to the hormone progestin and estrogen content of the pill. A disease like venous thromboembolism is linked to the duration of use. An extended duration of using the pills results to higher content of estrogen content which increases the risk of venous thromboembolism.
Moreover, the birth control implant is a hormonal type of birth control. It is used to release the hormone progestin into the body to prevent pregnancy. The implant is a small plastic rod which is inserted by a healthcare professional into the upper arm under the armpit. It is effective as it gives one a long-term protection against pregnancy. Besides, the implant is private and convenient. One does not have to think about pregnancy prevention during or after the sexual intercourse. People can hardly notice if you have the implant so it is disturbing. The implants also help to make the periods to be better. They period are lighter and the cramps are less painful. Indeed, I in 3 people with the implants do not experience periods after a year. Moreover, the implants have only one hormone. The implants contain progestin and are estrogen free, making them effective in preventing pregnancy.
However, the use of the implant does not protect an individual against HIV or sexually transmitted infections. This is because it does not prevent fluid exchange to the sexually active individuals. Moreover, it might lead one to have irregular period and ones that last longer. In the first 6 months, one is likely to experience excessive bleeding. One is likely to have a bruised arm after the implant but there is a small risk of infection.
In conclusion, the discussion shows that the contraceptive methods such as condoms, implants, and pills have various advantages and disadvantages. First, the use of condoms helps to protect the sexually active people against the STIs. When one uses a condom, they helping to create a barrier that limits the exchange of bodily fluids, which helps to avoid the transmission of the sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDs. However, the latex condom creates a barrier during sex which makes many couples using the condom to complain of reduced sensitivity. Also, birth control pills do not only prevent pregnancy but they also reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. Taking the birth control pills helps to lower the risk of heavy menstrual bleeding. Besides, the use of implant is effective as it gives one a long-term protection against pregnancy. It is also private and convenient. Regardless, the use of the implant does not protect an individual against HIV or sexually transmitted infections. Ultimately, it is critical to seek health care guidance to be advised the appropriate contraception that suits you.

References
Nicholls, S. J., Lincoff, A. M., Garcia, M., Bash, D., Ballantyne, C. M., Barter, P. J., … & Nissen, S. E. (2020). Effect of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids vs corn oil on major adverse cardiovascular events in patients at high cardiovascular risk: the STRENGTH randomized clinical trial. Jama, 324(22), 2268-2280.
Schrager, S., Larson, M., Carlson, J., Ledford, K., & Ehrenthal, D. B. (2020). Beyond birth control: noncontraceptive benefits of hormonal methods and their key role in the general medical care of women. Journal of Women’s Health, 29(7), 937-943.
Szucs, L. E., Lowry, R., Fasula, A. M., Pampati, S., Copen, C. E., Hussaini, K. S., … & Steiner, R. J. (2020). Condom and contraceptive use among sexually active high school students—Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019. MMWR supplements, 69(1), 11.