There are two words society hates more than periods: Birth control.
Growing up going to a private, Catholic high school, I felt like I had to keep the fact that I was on birth control on the down-low. I was not even sexually active; I was just taking the medication to control my period patterns. Nonetheless, I dreaded the look the office lady would give me once a year when we turned in those healthcare sheets that listed our medications.
I was lucky enough to receive great sex ed from my public middle school, but 75% of the kids in my high school could not tell you what a condom was. One of my friends did not even know that you could contract HIV if you were not a gay man. It was horrendous. The only birth control they knew was abstinence.
Abstinence
Yes, abstinence is the only birth control method that is 100% effective.
However, it is unrealistic to only provide sexually curious, hormone-driven teenagers that abstinence is the only acceptable version of birth control. If there is a will, there is a way, and these kids were going to find out about the pleasures of sex one way or another.
I get it, it was Catholic school, but I found it wildly dangerous to not teach teenagers about safe sex. It is not just about pregnancy and abortion, or even love, but these kids were severely undereducated about sexually transmitted diseases.
Condoms
Condoms are not the most reliable form of birth control, but they are one of the only forms that protects people from STDs. Condoms are easy, especially if you do not want to go through the hassle of going on birth control in a medically disastrous time in America or do not what your parents to know about your funny business.
A lot of people try to get out of using condoms by saying they are allergic to latex. Well, they make latex-free condoms! Therefore, get your butt down to your local CVS, Target, Walgreens, literally anywhere and stop trying to convince your girlfriend/boyfriend that “Pull and Pray” is a reliable form of birth control.
Many people do not know that there are female condoms that you can insert in the vaginal cavity. The act the same as male condoms as a barrier method of birth control but lines the internal wall of the vagina or anus, rather than wrapping around a penis.
The Pill
Ahhhh, the pill, how nostalgic. The pill was my first form of birth control and I had switch mine three times because I could not find a dosage and brand that worked for me.
When used correctly, birth control pills are efficient 91% of the time. The pill is a great method of birth control, but can be extremely annoying to take every day at the same time, especially with the busy and ever-changing schedule of a teenage girl.
Plan B
Plan B, or the “Morning After Pill,” is a small pill typically taken with 12 hours of initial penetration. While it is great if you did not use a condom or forgot to take your birth control one night, it is not very inclusive. Plan B costs around $50, making your one night of fun a costly event. Plan B also loses its effectiveness the more a person weighs, most commonly around the 180-pound mark.
Birth Control Shots
If you are terrified of needles, much like myself, I would not recommend this birth control to you. However, if needles do not bother you, the birth control shot is a very effective type of contraceptive. It has a 94% effective rate and lasts around 3 months. Sometimes they can be administered at home, but most physicians recommend to them in office to ensure that they are being properly injected.
Implants
An IUD, or an intrauterine device, usually lasts around 3-6 years and has a 99% effective rate. There are two types of IUDs, progestin and copper, with copper lasting up to 12 years. The appeal of contraceptive implants is the fact that you do not have to remember taking a pill every day at the same time, essentially being fool proof. However, many women complain of a painful insertion process and use an inserter to open your cervix.
Last and MOST CERTAINLY not least, the Nexplanon. Nexplanon are also implants that are placed in your arm after a numbing injection. They have a 99% effective rate and can last up to four years. I have the Nexplanon implant, and it has been of prefect source of birth control and helping to ease my period and cramping. Nexplanon has been my favorite type of birth control and I am most definitely an advocate of it.
I have been on so many different types of birth control and have definitely found the one that accommodates myself and my health issues. With that being said, it is vital for you to do your own research and speak to your physician about which option fits you.
Always use protection and advocate for yourself!
This was very interesting to read! I also went to a Catholic high school, though the people at mine were a lot more open to talking about sex and birth control related topics, which was really nice. I also started taking the pill in order to help regulate my periods, but I know so many people that take it because their periods are extremely painful, to protect them during sex, and so many more reasons. Thanks for sharing so much on this topic, it was fun to read!
Also going to a catholic high school, birth control was something that wasn’t looked down upon by students, but our religion teachers. It’s crazy that the solution to these teachers was to just ignore it, but when someone got pregnant their senior year when I was a sophomore, they had to keep it a secret from everyone in the school, instead of accepting the fact of it. I totally agree with you on this, and it’s unreal what society has made of it sometimes.
Hi, this blog post was super interesting. I think it is crazy that many people at your Catholic high school did not know about condoms and HIV! Honestly, it is so frustrating that sex education is not standardized in every high school and middle school. It should be a required topic, because like you said, teens will not abstain from sex. It will continue to happen, so why not teach safe sex? There is a difference between encouraging sex and teaching about how to do it safely. Great post, I cannot wait to read more!
As always, your post was very interesting. My mom wants me to see the gynecologist about my period symptoms and discuss some form of birth control to ease them, so this was very relevant for me. I also completely agree with your opinion on the school’s approach to sex ed. It is extremely unrealistic to advertise abstinence as the only option for avoiding pregnancy.