10 misconceptions about birth control

When choosing the right contraceptive method for you, you should not be influenced by rumors or misconceptions. Of course, consulting a doctor is the best thing to do, but you also need to know about contraceptive methods and their unwanted effects.

Myth #1: Taking birth control pills every day will make you gain weight.

Weight gain as a side effect of oral contraceptives is a top concern for women considering taking oral contraceptives. However, you should not be overly concerned about this. Although each woman will respond differently, most women who take the standard dose of oral contraceptives will not gain weight.

Women taking birth control pills should also focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle: eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly, and you will limit the risk of weight gain.

Myth #2: Your ability to conceive will be affected when you stop using hormonal birth control.

Many people believe that after spending a lot of time and effort on birth control, when you stop taking the pill, it will be more difficult for you to conceive.

The truth is, although your chances of conceiving will be a little slower, and you are often advised to wait a few months before trying again, the daily pill will not cause you any long-term effects. Infertility is not an unwanted side effect of the daily pill.

Do not abuse birth control pills.

Once you stop taking birth control pills and your menstrual cycle returns, you can get pregnant again. According to statistics, about 50% of women will ovulate again within the first month after stopping the daily birth control pill. And most women will be able to ovulate again within 3-6 months after stopping the pill.

Myth #3: You shouldn't take birth control pills every day.

Taking a few days off the pill can be helpful for women in some special situations, for example, if you have irregular bleeding, stopping the pill for 4-5 days can help to stabilize and control your cycle. Other than these situations, there is no need for women who take the pill daily to “take a break” unless they want to have children.

If you need to stop taking the pill temporarily for any reason, always remember that when you stop taking the pill, you can become pregnant. Therefore, you should use an additional form of contraception, such as condoms, if you do not want to become pregnant.

Myth #4: Taking birth control pills every day will cause breast cancer.

Because breast cancer is a hormone-related cancer, many women worry that an increased risk of breast cancer might be an unwanted side effect of the pill. This is only partly true.

According to recent studies by the American Cancer Society, women who use birth control pills daily will have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer compared to women who have never used birth control pills. However, this risk only exists while you are still taking the pill. Women who have stopped using birth control pills for more than 10 years will not have an increased risk of cancer.

Myth #5: You can't get pregnant if you have sex during your period.

This is not true. Your body can still release an egg at any time, even during your period. While it is true that your period is not the ideal time to ovulate, it is still possible to get pregnant if you have sex during your period. Remember, under the right conditions, sperm can live in the vagina or uterus for about 6 days.

Myth #6: Breastfeeding can prevent pregnancy.

This is another common misconception. While breastfeeding can temporarily “postpone” ovulation, it is not guaranteed to be effective as a contraceptive.

Regular breastfeeding is called lactational amenorrhea for the first 4-6 months after birth, but even then, it is only 95-98% effective at preventing pregnancy. If you are breastfeeding, you should talk to your doctor about birth control options that are right for you.

Myth #7: Douching after sex helps prevent pregnancy.

Douching is the process of cleaning out your vagina. Many women mistakenly believe that this process can wash out sperm and even sexually transmitted disease-causing viruses and bacteria from the vagina.

But douching is a complete no-no and will not prevent pregnancy or disease. Instead, it will only make you feel uncomfortable. Douching can irritate the vaginal lining, and will remove both good and bad bacteria from your vagina.

Myth #8: You can't get pregnant the first time you have sex.

Yes, you can get pregnant. Pregnancy happens when the egg meets the sperm and can happen at any point during sex. You can get pregnant if you have sex just once. And you can get pregnant if it's your first time, or your 100th time.

Myth #9: You can't get pregnant if your boyfriend pulls out before ejaculating.

This method is called withdrawal, which means the man must withdraw his penis from the woman's vagina before he reaches orgasm and ejaculates.

This method does not guarantee the ability to prevent pregnancy, the effectiveness of contraception is only about 75%. This also means that for every 4 women who use this method as their only method, 1 will become pregnant within 1 year. The reason is because sperm can be released during the stimulation and intimacy process, without having to wait for the man to ejaculate.

Myth #10: Contraceptives can protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

When thinking about using protection during sex, you have to consider two things: preventing pregnancy and avoiding sexually transmitted diseases. Not all birth control methods can protect you from sexually transmitted diseases.

What you should know and remember is this: hormonal birth control methods (birth control pills, IUDs, birth control injections) will not protect you against any sexually transmitted diseases.

The only form of contraception that can protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, is barrier contraception, such as condoms or diaphragms. However, the protection is not 100%, and you still have some risk if you use it incorrectly.

According to VNN