Family Issues

Diaphragms, shields and caps are another way of protecting the woman from getting pregnant. These methods are another innovative way of man to have sex without having baggage after. Except for the part that some women would want to talk serious stuff about where the relationship should be going after the sex. Aside from that, these methods help prevent a man getting a child he can’t or won’t have any part of.

They are all soft latex that covers the cervix. There are differences however. The diaphragm fits securely in the vagina that covers the cervix because of its shallow, dome shaped cup with flexible rim. The femcap’s difference is only its shape. It’s shape like a sailor’s hat. The shield’s difference is that it has an air valve on its silicone cup and a loop to help to make it easier to be removed. The shield sounds more of a rubber shoe that gets inserted.

All of them work the same, as they all need a spermicide or a jelly to work. It prevents the sperm from joining the egg because it blocks the uterus. A jelly is needed to help stop the sperm from moving.

Diaphragms come in many sizes and depending on the situation of the woman a new size is needed. Situations such as pregnancy, pelvic operation, miscarriage and 20% change in weight. Femcaps come in 3 sizes, small (women who have never been pregnant), medium (those who have had abortion or caesarian surgery), and large for those who have given birth vaginally. The shield is a one size fits all type of contraception.

A diaphragm is used by putting some spermicide on the cup and the rim as well. Find a comfortable position to put the diaphragm inside. Separate the labia with one hand and then pinch the rim of the diaphragm to fold it in half. Then place the index finger inside the diaphragm for a firmer grip. Push it as far as you can and make sure that it’s covering the cervix. It must stay for at least 6 hours after intercourse and a special inserter can be used to make the removal easier. The femcap and the shield are used in similar ways.

Like any other contraception method they all have their flaws as well. Its disadvantages are that it can not be used during menstruation, may require refitting, difficult to insert, must be in place every time she has vaginal intercourse and due to certain angles, positions and penis sizes may have to be readjusted as well.

Using the following may cause a woman to have bladder infection. So it is important that the woman urinate before and after use. Due to the material, which is silicone, latex, etc, some people may develop infections and some of the partners may feel pain when using any of the three.

For further safety as to whether this contraceptive method is best for you, it is best to ask help from a professional doctor or research more about this method. Maybe after reading this stuff, you now won’t make any complaint from using the condoms.

When someone is together with someone they love or truly like, there is always a chance that sex may be involved in the future. If both of you are in love with one another but are still unsure about the future risk of sex, practicing it the safe way is the best answer. There may be some limitations with some of these methods. But it will help strengthen your relationship more by being able to understand the needs of the other.

The over the counter methods is the most commonly used. These methods include the use of male and female condoms. Other methods that are included are the less commonly known spermicide and the sponge.

Spermicide is a contraceptive that is inserted inside the vagina. The spermicide melts after they are inserted and the chemical that it contains immobilizes the sperm that prevents it from joining the egg. It works when it melts and creates bubbles that contain spermicide and are able to block the uterus from the entering sperm. This method sounds like a device 007 uses.

Spermicide may not be for the impatient people and the really horny ones. As spermicide users will have to wait for 10 minutes before the spermicide becomes effective and intercourse can begin. Women who also use cleaning chemicals in their vagina may not also use spermicide after 6 hours. Due to the spermicide getting melted, a new one will have to be inserted every time intercourse is done a new.

Because a new spermicide is put on every time intercourse is done, there’s a big chance for HIV. By using it more than 9 times a day, the tissues will be irritated and can be prone to HIV. Spermicides may not form a good barrier over the cervix when used properly. They are also messy and may cause irritations.

The other way is the use of a sponge. It is not the ordinary sponge that you buy from the groceries or the cute little sponge-bob square pants you see on TV. It is solid polyutherane foam that contains spermicide, is soft, round and 2 inches in diameter. To be bale to remove it, a nylon loop is attached.

The sponge is used by getting it wet with at least two tablespoons of clean water (if no clean water is found, any water can be used. just kidding as dirty water may cause infections). Gently squeeze the sponge to be able to activate the spermicide. Fold the sides of the sponge, to make it become narrow so that it can fit your vagina and reach the farthest point it can.

When let go, the sponge will unfold on the cervix. Once let go. Check the position of the sponge and also for the position of the nylon loop. If you can not find the nylon loop, removing it will become a problem. The sponge can be worn 24 hours before intercourse (disgusting), also be left in place 6 hours after intercourse and can not be worn longer than 30 hours continuously. To remove the sponge, just pull the loop slowly.

Using a sponge has certain disadvantage as well. Some women have difficulty removing the sponge and as a result may break down. It may sound funny but it is a serious situation that your clinician may have to remove immediately. It may also cause irritation and some complain that it’s messy because of the amount of water used. It also makes sex a little bit dry that’s why lubricants are sometimes used. Another risk factor of using a sponge is the risk of having toxic shock syndrome from using the sponge when one has vaginal bleeding, after childbirth, miscarriage, abortion or until your clinician approves.

Everyone who is sexually active should learn how to practice safe sex. This is not only to prevent unplanned pregnancies, but also to prevent the person from having sexually transmitted disease as well. It will be very hard for a person to contact sexually transmitted disease because some of them such as HIV are very hard to cure. Some people say that practicing safe sex prevents them from having more excitement. However one should consider the risk factors involved in the short time that they will be making love and the long term effects of practicing unsafe sex.

The methods that are stated here are those that can be procured over the counter. These will be the method of using a condom for safer sex.

Condoms are sheaths of plastic or latex that is worn on the penis during intercourse. This rubber is able to collect the semen during and after the man ejaculates and prevents him from getting semen on the woman’s vulva. Condoms have a 99.9% success rate in preventing the semen from entering. They are also able to prevent sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, etc.

Women also have condoms to use. It is a plastic pouch with rings at each end and is inserted inside the vagina like the diaphragm. The ring at the closed ends holds the pouch while the ring at the open end is outside the vaginal opening.

Condoms are usually lubricated when used. The lubrication helps prevents the rips and also increase sensitivity. There are different lubricants around but not all are safe with the use of condom. Some of the safe ones to use are water and saliva, aloe-9, astro glide, delube, etc. Here are some of the lubricants that are unsafe to use, baby oils, cold cream, massage oils, etc.

Putting on a condom is tricky, especially for those who are new to using it. You may end up like the guy from the movie 40 year old virgin. Who just harmed himself from trying to put it on. Here is the proper way to put on a condom. Put two drops of lubricant on the condom and them place the condom on the hard tip of the penis. Leave half an inch when putting it on, so that the semen will have a place when it is ejaculated. Then roll it all the way down the base of the penis and lubricate the outside as well. Remember to pull out the condom before the penis softens.

The disadvantages and side effects of using condoms are very limited. Such disadvantage of a condom is more psychological. This is because some people will feel that certain experiences will be deprived by using a condom. Also by using a condom some of tem are pressured to maintain an erection and others are pressured to ejaculate. There are no side effects for condoms such as a very very small percentage of those that have allergies.

The advantages of using a condom outweigh the disadvantages. Here are some of the advantages of using a condom. They help a man to prevent to impregnate a woman and contact sexual disease as well. A condom also helps a man have a longer erection and help those that ejaculate prematurely.

Practicing these methods is easier compared to raising a child. Just buy a condom from your local drugstore and don’t hesitate to use it when making love if not yet sure about having a family.

Finally, after 5 years of working so hard, you are almost there towards your goal of improving your career. This situation entails with you more duties and responsibilities that you know you can handle. However because of one small mistake, of having unsafe sex, and now you’ll become a mother, you’ll have to choose how to handle this situation. Its career versus family life, this is like the character of Felicity Huffman in desperate Housewives who eventually gave up her career for family life. If you’re a woman who is more into her career but still wants to be adventurous, practicing safe sex will help you out.

One method is the progestin method. This method synthesizes the hormones to prevent the production of eggs by the female. Such methods here are the implants, the shots and the progestin only pills.

The implants which are sold now are mostly Norplant, since the implants have been no longer available. It is a cardboard matchstick that is inserted on the skin of the upper arm. Your upper arm will be numbed by the physician with painkillers then a small cut will be made to insert the 6 capsules. It will usually take effect within 24 hours. It contains the hormone levonorgestrel which thickens the cervical mucus. It prevents the sperm from joining the egg or sometimes stops the ovulation process. Removal of the capsules must be made after 7 years and 5 years for overweight women, as it may cause menstrual problems.

However there are some disadvantages and precautions on using Norplant. She should not use Norplant when she is pregnant, has had breast cancer, unexplained bleeding in the vaginal area. Norplant also produces certain side effects such as headache, nausea, acne, depression, weight gain, and nervousness. Removal is also difficult in some cases. Norplant also causes severe problems but are very rare such as new lump in your breast (a third nipple maybe, just kidding), heavy bleeding, stomach aches, arm pain and sever headaches.

The other method is the shot, it may sound like an execution of your future plans to have a baby, but its not. It contains a hormone that is similar to the progesterone that is produced by the woman’s ovaries and is shot every 12 weeks. It works the same way as Norplant that it prevents the sperm from joining the egg and also stops the ovulation.

The advantages of taking the shot is that cancer of the uterus can be prevented. Another advantage of taking the shot is that women who have depression, high blood pressure, at risk at heart attack, and history of abnormalities in the liver can take the shot as long as supervised by professionals. The same precautions as Norplant should be taken when taking the shot. The side effects of the shot are the same as implants plus skin rash and change in sex drive. The serious problems are the same as the implants too except for the presence or development of yellowish eyes.

The last progestin method is the POP pills. These are not drugs or candies but are really used for safe sex methods as well. They are extremely similar with the first tow methods as to how they work. However pills must be taken everyday at the same time and pregnancy can still happen if pills are taken in the wrong order, too late in the cycle and 3 hours past the time it should have been taken. The precautionary measure, the side effects, the disadvantages and advantages of using POP pills are the same as the Shot and Implants.

These are 3 ways by medication that you can be able to save your career and still have some fun.

Most teenagers are curios about sex. Maybe it’s not their fault, but is mostly a result of the raging hormones that teenagers have. They would need a way to release the surge in hormones or else the might die. Ok dying is way overboard. Most of them become curious and enter into sexual relationships during this time. But if you’re child is a loser or dork, have no fear, he’s safe from the temptation. But when he is able to find a female loser that’s also so curious, and then read on.

It is better as parent to be able to discuss safe sex with his child as early as possible (and I’m not talking about the birds and the bees’ speech.). It would be better to discuss this earlier. So that when his hormones start going into hyper driver, he or she should know what the proper ways of handling the situation. It may be very awkward for some parents but to make it easy, just remember the same thing your father went through with you. (Or maybe you should stick with the birds and the bees with a little mature thing with it)

On a serious note, here are some things you can consider discussing with your child. How he or she should be practicing safe sex. To prevent unwanted pregnancies that may destroy his or her dreams or have sexually transmitted diseases.

There are four methods to safe sex, the reversible non prescription methods, combined hormone methods, progestin-only methods and the behavioral methods. Each method may have varying results again depending on the person. Let us discuss here the method of behavioral methods.

The behavioral methods include the abstinence method, the withdrawal method, LAM and the outer course method. The abstinence method is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and transmitted disease. This method however is also the hardest method to do, despite its simplicity. The only thing to do here is that the man and the woman do not maintain sexual contact, but both would need to be very strong-willed in their belief on abstaining from sex.

The withdrawal method is usually used by couples, who have great self control, men who do not ejaculate prematurely, and men who are already experienced. This method is not that full proof because thee is always a chance that sperm may be left behind. Even the smallest amount of semen that enters into the vulva will cause the woman to be pregnant. This method is usually used when no other safety method is available and definitely not suggested for teenagers.

The outer course is what some people say is a safer way to sex because some methods involve no penetration in the vagina or no penetration at all. Some ways to practice outer course methods are through masturbation (either alone or with the partner), kissing, body to body rubbing that may include their sex organs, erotic massage, fantasize through the internet, shows, etc., sex toys such as vibrators, oral sex play and anal sex play. Through outer course it may make sex play longer and increase intimacy. This is also safe way because it will have no medical or hormonal side effects and there will is more chances that semen and vaginal fluids are not exchanged.

The LAM method (Lactation Amarhea Method) is a method for women to help them in postponing ovulation. This is done by making the woman do continuous breast feeding as it stimulates the hormone prolactin and prevents the release of another needed for ovulation. However the LAM method is only effective for the 1st six months of the woman’s pregnancy and the woman hasn’t had a period since she gave birth and suckles baby 6 times a day on both breast.

Hope that by discussing these methods with your children it may help prevent you from being a young grandparent. There are methods to choose from, if you do not see the methods of behavioral prevention that effective.