The Cervical Cap is a barrier form of birth control that is placed on the cervix and forms a tight seal, preventing sperm from penetrating. It is a small (larger than a thimble but smaller than a diaphragm) rubber or silicone barrier device that is inserted prior to and for up to 3 days after intercourse.

It is reported to be 84-91% effective for women who have never given birth and 68-74% effective for women who have given birth.

Two brands of cervical caps available are Femcap & Lea’s Shield.

Here’s an opinion from one of our readers about the cervical cap:

“I used the cervical cap and it proved effective for me for nearly two years of my marriage. In fact, the only reason I became pregnant was because hubby and I went out of town without it.

I would put it in before my husband came home from work so it didn’t interrupt the mood, and I didn’t have to rush away from the act like you do with a condom or some other barrier methods. If things got frisky the next morning that was ok too, I didn’t have to add anything or change anything. The cap stays in place for at least 8 hours after the last act of intercourse but can stay in for up to 3 days.”

• Spotting, irregular menstruation and most commonly, no periods at all.
• Loss of calcium stored in bones.
• Weight gain.

 Here are some side effects reported by our readers:

“I had two Depo Provera shots and didn’t like it at all, and never used it again. It caused me to gain weight- about 8 pounds. Because it prevents ovulation, women often will experience a sharp decline in their libido. To me that was a big minus too.

Another side effect I experienced was painful knots in the injection site, and this pain seemed to spread down my entire hip area.”

________________________

I enjoyed the lack of periods and since, coincidentally, I wasn’t sexually active while taking Depo Provera, so it didn’t cause me any concern. However, I had a strange skin problem with a couple of large (and ugly) pimples that would not go away on my skin. When I stopped the Depo Provera (after my doctor told me about the potential bone calcium loss), my skin cleared up.”

The advantage of Depo Provera is that it is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when given on time. Some women also like the fact that they don’t have to think about birth control every day. On the other hand, it does require an office visit to get the shot.

Usually after the second shot, women will not have a menstrual period. Some women report spotting or irregular menstrual cycles.

Depo Provera is known to cause some users to calcium stored in their bones. Pfizer, the creators of the product, only encourage long-term use (2 years or more) of the method “only if other methods of birth control are not right for you.”

In addition, 2 out 3 women in clinical trials reported a weight gain of 5 pounds during the first year of use.

With these added benefits, Yasmin can also reduce the discomforts suffered by some women on birth control pills, including tender breasts or swollen feet/fingers. As a combined pill, that is, one using both estrogen and the synthetic progestin, it has been found to be useful in relation to hormone-induced problems like greasy hair and some forms of acne.

According to company literature, out of 1,000 women using the pill properly, only one or two will become pregnant each year. But using it properly can mean educating yourself with your doctor’s help, on the correct way to take it, contraindications with other drugs, and what substances or circumstances may interfere with the pill’s effectiveness.

The fact that Yasmin includes Drospirenone, does not in any way change the risks associated with birth control pills. Women taking Yasmin may experience the same side effects as with other types of pills, including headache, nausea, dizziness or spotting in the initial months. They are also at risk for heart attacks and strokes, which are associated with the estrogen content. That risk increases if the woman is a smoker, and over the age of 35. Click here to learn more about Yasmin.

Generically, Seasonale is the same drugs as regular birth control pills, levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol; in the same amounts, and with the same risks. There is no increased risk for taking more “active” pills over the course of the year, than there is on the 21 or 28 day program.

With Seasonale, you take 84 pink active pills, and then take 7 white pills, during which your period occurs. It will not be any heavier or longer than your period was on other programs.

The one noticeable detraction, is that you will likely have breakthrough “periods” with about the same flow as a normal period, or spotting in varying degrees. This should be reduced significantly if not totally eliminated after your first year on Seasonale. During that time, do not stop taking your pills or alter the regimen in any way. About one-third of women report more than 20 breakthrough days (in addition to scheduled periods) in their first year of use.

Side effects for Seasonale are exactly the same as other more traditional birth control pills and include headaches, nausea, dizziness, and the inability to use contact lenses. Women using Seasonale should not smoke, as it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, which are the most common health dangers for women using birth control pills.

But American Home Products, the original manufacturers, pulled the product off the shelf in 1995, after 12 years, because the FDA found bacterial contamination in the water used by the plant that manufactured the sponges. The company did not consider it profitable enough to refurbish the factory where the sponges were made.

After that, the sponge remained in limbo, despite such high profile incidents as its use in an episode of the sitcom “Seinfeld”, and the thousands of message boards on the Internet, where women bemoaned its loss. In 1998, Allendale Pharmaceuticals purchased the rights to the name and formula, as well as the machinery that produced them.

And so, with FDA approval of their own production facilities, Allendale released Today Sponge to the market once more.

The Today Sponge works through a spermicide known as nonoxynol-9. Sponges are dampened, and inserted in the vagina, up to 24 hours before having sex, and are left in place even if having intercourse more than once. It is recommended they be removed 30 hours after insertion, with at least a six hour lapse after last having sex.

Sponges should not be used during your period, after having a child or miscarriage, or if you have been diagnosed with TSS. Previous implications that the sponge caused TSS, were not due to the product itself, but to improper usage.

Learn more about the Today Sponge and purchase it online by clicking here.

Ortho Tricyclen works on a progestin known as norgestimate. This particular progestin has little chance of stimulating the development of male characteristics in women who take it. Studies have shown that there are also fewer side effects than other brands of The Pill, while providing such benefits as reduction of the hormone that causes acne vulgaris in women.

This does not mean that it will cure acne for all women, nor that you should not try topical medications first. But if the acne is severe, any female over the age of 15 who has begun regular menstrual cycles, and is otherwise healthy with no potential drug interactions or medical conditions that would contraindicate its use, may take Ortho Tricyclen on their doctor’s advice.

In addition, Ortho Tricyclen can help to regulate periods, making them lighter, with less blood/iron loss to your body. Cramps can also be reduced or eliminated, as can the chances of developing ovarian cysts or ectopic pregnancies, since the pill works by preventing ovulation, and thickening the cervical mucous to prevent sperm from entering the uterus.

Long-term use of Ortho Tricyclen is medically safe for women of all ages, providing they do not experience any of the side effects listed on the package inserts. The possibility of weight gain does exist, as it does with all pills, but an equal number of women also find that they lose weight, so it is not a guaranteed side effect.

Click here to learn more about Ortho Tricyclen.

Of course, not everyone feels Plan B is a “back-up” or anything resembling birth control because it potentially destroys a fertilized egg which would grow into a baby. You need to decide your own moral standing on the subject.

To help you make an informed decision, here is more information about Plan B:

It must be remembered though, that like any birth control product, Plan B does not protect against HIV, or sexually transmitted diseases. Nor is it the pill RU486, which is the abortion pill. Plan B will not help if you are already pregnant, which a woman can be, and not know it. But in emergency circumstances, Plan B will protect against pregnancy, approximately 89% of the time if taken within 72 hours of having sex.

Levonorgestrel is the same ingredient used in birth control pills, however, the amount in the Plan B pill is significantly higher, and Plan B contains no estrogen, so there is no increased risk of estrogen-related problems.

There are few if any side effects, which are mostly the same as those that may occur from taking birth control pills, including headaches, nausea, dizziness and breast tenderness. But if you should be nauseous to the point of vomiting soon after taking Plan B, you should contact your doctor to see if you need to take a second pill.

Ideally, Plan B works best taken as soon as possible after having sex. While it works within a 72-hour time frame, the sooner the levonorgestrel gets into your system, the better your prevention will be. If you are a forgetful person with your regular birth control pills, or are concerned that an accident may occur over a holiday or other time when your doctor is not available, discuss with them the possibility of having a prescription on hand, should you need to use it.

Click here to learn more about Plan B.

As with other birth control pills, it is usually prescribed as a 21 or 28-day program, in which you take a pill each day, then stop for seven, or continue on with the 7 specially colored pills which are basically place markers to ensure you remember to keep taking them.

Alesse should be taken no more than 24 hours apart, and at the same time every day. If you miss one, consult the package insert, a pharmacist or your doctor. While there are few bothersome side effects, taking them at night may prevent any significant disturbance from headaches or mild nausea.

Not all women are suited to taking birth control pills, and you should consult your physician to discuss whether Alesse is for you. A thorough medical history is necessary for them to assess the risks that Alesse, or any other birth control pill may pose.

Remember that other drugs, including some antibiotics can affect the performance of your pill. You should get a complete list from the doctor or pharmacist, to make sure that you understand the limits of the birth control pill, and what contraindications there are with other substances.

Women on Alesse or any other birth control pill are advised not to smoke, which has been proven to significantly increase the risk of heart attack or stroke while using birth control pills. The degree of risk rises with age and the amount smoked.

In late November 2005, the Food and Drug Administration required the makers to change all information inserts, packaging and pamphlets to reflect the fact that use of the patch, exposes a woman to as much as 60% more estrogen than the use of a daily pill.

This move was made because of the association between high estrogen levels and the development of clots or strokes. While this is a medical fact, there is no evidence that the Ortho-Evra patch significantly increases a woman’s risks.

Birth control pills normally carry about 35 micrograms of estrogen, although some are as high as 50 micrograms for women whose bodies require it. The level is higher in the patch, and in addition, the hormone is absorbed and dispersed differently through the skin, than it is be ingesting the pill.

The convenience factor however, has made it quite popular. The patch is secure, and can be worn in the shower, bath, or swimming. If it should become partially dislodged for any reason, the wearer replaces it with a new one immediately, and if unsure of how long the skin contact was broken, uses additional birth control methods for one week, to protect against an unwanted pregnancy.

Click here to learn more about Ortho-Evra.