Abstinence is
the most obvious behavioral birth control option for you. Abstinence
means continuous avoidance of not only sexual intercourse, but
also intimate sex play that may lead to sexual intercourse. Although
you can only get pregnant from having sex, many times it is difficult
to abstain from having sex, especially after long bouts of intimate
sexual foreplay. However, if you have strong will power and successfully
abstain from having sex, you will completely avoid pregnancy and
contacting many forms of STDs. This is the only fool-proof method
of birth control and protection.
Many couples engage in withdrawal, the act of
removing the penis from the vagina immediately prior to ejaculation,
in order to prevent pregnancy. This method of birth control is
rarely effective and becomes problematic. It is often difficult
for a man to practice withdrawal in the moment, and proper withdrawal
requires a great amount of self-control and trust. Furthermore,
pregnancy may be caused by sperm emitted from the penis in pre-ejaculatory
fluid or any sperm that comes into contact with the vulva. And
withdrawal does not protect against STDs.
Some women choose to practice fertility awareness based
birth control. This method has also been referred to as “the
rhythm method,” “natural family planning,” and “safe
period.” Women who choose this method keep careful watch
over their fertility calendar and menstrual cycle and abstain from
sex on “unsafe” days. If you choose fertility awareness,
you should do so with the close guidance of a healthcare professional
who can teach you how to chart your menstrual cycle and detect
physical signs that signal fertility or “unsafe days.” This
method requires you to check your temperature daily, check cervical
mucus daily, carefully record menstrual cycles on a calendar, and
keep an extremely accurate record of your monthly period. Because
this method requires expert training and a lot of effort and maintenance,
it has a low effectiveness. Furthermore, sometimes fertility is
not predictable due to illness, lack of sleep and certain infections.
Click below to read about related topics.
Introduction
Behavioral
Barrier
Hormonal
Surgical
IUD
Emergency Contraception
Same Sex Safe Sex
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