FERTILITY CONTROL Fertility control includes contraception, sterilization and medical termination of pregnancy. This information is very important to new and prospective parents and is covered in detail in this section.

Pregnancy Fertility Control

Contraception, Sterilization and Medical Termination of Pregnancy

WHAT ARE THE MEANS OF CONTRACEPTION AND WHAT IS ITS RELIABILITY?

There are 5 types of contraception

1. natural methods
2. barrier contraceptives
3. intrauterine devices
4. contraceptive implants
5. hormonal contraceptives

NATURAL CONTRACEPTIVES

1. Involves indulging in intercourse only in the SAFE PERIOD  ie for 12-14 days starting from the 7th day of last menstrual period .more reliable method would be to monitor ovulation by ultrasound and this is99% specific.

2. Lactational amenorrhoea is the natural infertility of the body while the mother is feeding her breast milk to the body.

YOU MUST REALISE THAT THESE ARE EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION AND CANNOT BE RELIED UPON.

BARRIER CONTRACEPTIVES

1. Condoms are the most widely used means of contraception and the greatest advantage is the prevention of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and syphilis.

2. Female condoms and others like vaginal sponges or diaphragms are not so popular because of the unreliability and inconvenience in using it.

3. Spermicidal agents are chemicals that can be inserted in the vagina but there are more incidences of allergic reactions to it.

ALTHOUGH CONDOMS ARE MOST WIDELY USED, IT IS ONLY 96% EFFECTIVE BUT PREFERRED FOR ITS CONVENIENCEAND ABILITY TO PROTECT ROM SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

INTRAUTERINE DEVICE

BECAUSE OF BETTER FORMS AVAILABLE TODAY, these are very widely used but there are some limitations to it -

• Cannot be used in primies (first time mothers) and
• May cause excessive bleeding, pain, and discomfort during menstruation.
• May sometimes cause complications like pelvic inflammatory diseases and intestinal perforation.

CONTRACEPTION PROVIDED BY INTRAUTERINE DEVICES IS 99%.

WHAT IS THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THESE DEVICES?

IUDs are made of inert plastic material with the addition of copper and  it acts by inhibiting sperm migration and fertilization of ovum rather than prevention of implantation.
 

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