Patrick Keller

Help received: class discussions, videos, power points, and personal experience

So before taking this class the only methods I had heard of for contraception were male condoms, pulling out, pills, and an IUD. I had no idea that there were so many different methods. Dispite this there are only a few very effective ones. Condoms are the most easily accessible forms of contraception and are one of the most effective. In addition to being very effective at preventing pregnancy they also are effective protection against STIs. There are a few diffrent types of condoms: male, female and oral despite this I have yet to see either an oral condom or a female condom in the “wild”. There are other types of contraception that are effective as well.

Birth control comes in a few different forms oral in the form of pills, the shot (ouch) administered through the use of a needle and a more permanent rod that is placed under the skin. The pills have to be taken on time and the shots have to be administered about every three months. The Rod however is good for around three years and can be taken out at anytime. While these methods do not protect against STIs they are harder to screw up than a condom or pulling out, they also require less thought and do not decrease sexual pleasure. The less thought required the better the option in my opinion so I am a big fan of birth control. Another option is an IUD or an insert into the uterus that prevents pregnancy. It does not protect against STIs and from what I understand can be felt sometimes during intercourse. They are also prone to causing infections.

The other more drastic option its surgery to prevent pregnancy such as Vasectomies. This usually is a pretty good way to prevent pregnancy and can be permanent or reversible. It does not protect against STIs and Male or Female I would not advocate for the cutting up of body parts for birth control there are better ways such as pills, shots or rods.

My personal favorite of the bunch are the pills because they are pretty effective, they do not hurt the girl like shots nothing foreign is planted in the body and it does not decrease sexual pleasure for either partner. It is also harder to screw up than pulling out or condoms.