Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with contraception

Spongeworthiness in the DF

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:58:46 -0800

Are contraceptive sponges currently available for purchase in Mexico City, and if so, where? I'll be visiting my long-distance bf in the DF and will stock up on spongy goodness in the US before leaving, but would like to know if sponges are available locally - in case my luggage is lost, I underestimate how many to bring, etc. (I tried looking this up online and it seemed like the answer was no...I'm hoping someone who is currently there or has been recently can tell me if this is actually the case.) I know I can buy them online, but this is a short trip so that wouldn't work in this instance. Thanks!

Where to get Plan B on Christmas Day in DC?

Tomorrowful — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:34:23 -0800

A friend of mine had a broken condom last night, and needs to get hold of Plan B. She's in Washington, DC. Planned Parenthood's closed, as are all the pharmacies she's tried. Those are the relevant facts - please assume she knows what she's doing re: testing, etc. Moralizing can be left at the door, she just needs to know where to get the EC.

Volunteer opportunities to increase access to contraception?

stupidsexyFlanders — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:09:04 -0800

I want to volunteer my time/talents to an organization that helps women get access to contraception and family planning education. I know about Planned Parenthood and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. Any other ideas? I'm in Philly.

Where can I order contraceptive sponges online?

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:58:56 -0800

Where can I order contraceptive sponges online? I know they are not sold in the U.S.; what are my other options? Canada? Mexico? The U.K.? They are non-prescription so I don't think there should be any legal issues.

I have found some on eBay but $30/sponge is a little out of my/our price range.

Can I be pregnant?

esolo — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:54:30 -0800

can I be pregnant? I've been on DEPO until few weeks ago, and used a condom every time since then. I have been on DEPO (injectable contraceptive) for 7 years, and went off it few weeks ago. It takes around a year for the cycle to normalize. Also, my partner and I have used a condom every single time since I went off.

However, my partner is freaking out that i may be pregnant, because of some changes in my body - tender larger breasts, spotting, etc. I think the chances are understandable given all the hormonal changes taking places, after I went off DEPO. It's illogical for me to run to a gynecologist for a blood test, given the facts. What do you think?

Edwardian New Yorkers views on contraception and abortion

Phlogiston — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:11:54 -0800

I recently read a novel which made me curious about attitudes toward contraception and abortion in the Edwardian United States, in particularly in New York City. In the first decade of the twentieth century Ludwig Lewisohn married a woman two decades his senior. He very much regretted the consequences and, after fleeing to Europe some years later, wrote The Case of Mr. Crump, a thinly fictionalized account of the years he spent with his wife.

The bulk of the book is devoted to chronicling Crump/Lewisohn’s wife’s various personal failings and unpleasant habits. Several passages related to abortion and contraception struck me as surprising.

The first mention comes up in the context of a discussion of Crump’s wife’s prior marriage, and the financial infeasibility of bearing more children.

…Herbert used to be filled with a horror-stricken wonder at the fundamental facts in human life which no novelist revealed, which even physicians would not permit themselves to discuss. … It was impossible to let all the children be born. Yet there was no knowledge of even the simplest contraceptive methods and Anne was too slovenly and lazy even to get up to wash. Too happy-go-lucky, she had a gambler’s hardness and freedom from immediate care. Two glasses of beer and to bed. The rest would take care of itself. It didn’t, in fact. With the inevitable result of a long series of abortions, some brought about by surgical interference and politely called curettages, others effected by a plentiful use of quinine and gin.[sic]

(The situation described in the above passage would have begun in 1880s Chicago and continued into 1900s New York.)

Later in the narrative, Herbert begins an affair with Anne and she leaves her husband. Herbert plans a trip to his family’s home in South Carolina, promising to return but intending not to.

In the weeks prior:

[Anne] did her best to enmesh Herbert in soft, strong tentacles, to play upon the physical habit established between them, upon his compassion, upon his sense of honor. She let herself become pregnant, brought on a mild abortion at the end of eight weeks, and so, shortly before his departure appeared white, devoted, gallantly suffering for his sake.

(The above passage refers to events in 1900s New York.)

Later in the narrative, while Anne and Herbert are living with Herbert’s German immigrant parents in South Carolina, the following incident occurs:

That day, when Anne was drunk with gin, [Herbert’s] mother had expressed a mild surprise. Anne had tossed her head. “Well, upon my word, to hear you talk, one would think you’d never had an abortion. I’ve had twenty!” And Herbert had seen his mother who, after all, was six or seven years older than Anne and a born Viennese, blush like a girl.

Some years later, when Anne is past her childbearing years, Herbert implores her to divorce him citing, among other things, his desire to father a child. Anne observes that she had been pregnant by Herbert before and that he’d never shown any desire to see her carry the fetuses to term, which he concedes is true.

Lewisohn was the son of lower middle class German immigrants. He grew up in South Carolina and attended college in New York beginning in the early 1900s where he associated with sexually progressive avant-garde poets.

From the passages above it seems that he expected women to be able to reliably exercise control of their fertility.

He also seems to have had no ethical objection to abortion. The Crump character is his literary alter ego, and I believe that he didn't expect his readers to be scandalized by these views, though he concedes that novelists don’t generally speak openly of the subject.

He does, however, seem to have regarded it as distressingly gauche to discuss with the prior generation. He also seems to indicate that surgical abortion was reliably available during the Comstock Era and relatively affordable to the working class.

I’m familiar with a great deal of condemnation of contraception and, particularly, of abortion during the time periods in question, and I'm familiar with occasional defenses of contraception by, for example, Emma Goldman and E. B. Foote. I can’t, however, recall running across any similarly frank, period accounts acknowledging that the practices were widespread and acceptable to the writers. In particular, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a contemporary writer assume that women should be able to reliably prevent conception.

Can anyone point me at similar late nineteenth and early twentieth century memoirs, novels or letters that articulate similar views?

friendly exchange of ideas with evangelist door knockers

compound eye — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:00:17 -0800

every weekend evangelist missionaries knock on our door for a chat. I'm wondering how to politely express my support for gay marriage, sex education, access to abortion services etc. while staying friendly and not getting in a forty minute conversation that goes nowhere. It's the weekend, and the local evangelists are knocking on our door to deliver their magazines and chat about the world. I'm always really friendly, which means they come back almost every weekend, but I just don't agree with their ideas, and was thinking I'd like to prepare my own leaflets, perhaps on the importance of contraception, sex education and gay marriage. Then next time they visit we can swap leaflets.
Any suggestions on I should go about this gracefully?

Please keep in mind that while I am attempting to challenge their ideas, I don't want to be offensive.

Safe sex statistics

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:24:58 -0800

Help me convince my girlfriend that, stastically speaking, a correctly-used condom is an adequate form of birth control! My girlfriend has her doubts about the efficacy of condoms and is very nervous that there is some possibility of pregnancy to the point that after sex she even panics sometimes. She is, however, a logical person and so I think with the right statistic I could convince her. I've looked online for some info but haven't found a easy way to say it. Maybe some statistician or mathematician here has some nice way of putting it that will help improve my sex life and put my gf's mind at ease...

Like, if 200 couples has sex 1000 times, 1 of those women will get pregant.

I assume the above quote is wildely untrue, but for illustrative purposes only...

Or:

you have a greater chance of being struck by lightening twice on the same day that getting pregant during safe sex.

See, some format like this is what I'm looking for... (ideally one that improves, not disrupts my sex life).

Thanks a lot!

Migraine with aura + birth control = stroke??

Mr Bunnsy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:32:58 -0800

What's the real deal with hormonal birth control and migraines? Internet says there are stroke risks, my doctor(s) say not to worry. Asking for general info from anyone who'd done research on this, not specific medical advice. I've had occasional migraines since around puberty. They'd go something like this: trouble focusing my eyes, severe headache and vomiting starting about an hour later and lasting for up to 12 hours. In college they got more frequent, I'd have one every few weeks.

After I went on birth control pills, the frequency decreased but the migraines changed. I would only get about one or two a year, presenting like this: glimmers in my vision for 30-45 minutes, then difficulty talking/reading (like aphasia) for another 30-45 accompanied by medium headache, then general weakness, trouble concentrating and feeling like crap for the rest of the day. No nausea, and if I took Imitrex while still in the visual aura stage, I'd go directly to the generally feeling crappy stage with no other symptoms.

I would also get mild migraines (slight headache & brain fog, especially while looking at a screen) around my period.

A doctor at the university health center mentioned that migraine with aura puts me at increased risk of stroke, but my regular gynecologist told me the risks were negligible. My gynecologist after college said the same thing, and when I mentioned the mild menstrual migraines, encouraged me to take low-dose BCPs continuously with no periods. He also suggested I visit a neurologist to check up on the migraines w/aura.

I saw a neurologist with a very good reputation as a migraine specialist. He did the usual exam, and when asked about BCP, said the studies are old and with the new pills the risks are negligible unless there are other risk factors or a malformation in the blood vessels in the brain. He sent me for an MRI just to be sure, and said my MRI looked great. (I was not on the pill at the time of MRI due to an insurance screw-up, I went off for about three months.)

Back at the gyno, I inquired about a longer-term method such as IUD due to some lifestyle changes in the future, and my concern about the risks of hormonal birth control. He again dismissed any risks, and advised against IUDs because of my (young) age. He suggested I try the Nuvaring, which I am on right now.

All is well so far, but is my brain going to be turned to mush by a stroke at some point? I love the pill and ring otherwise - no periods, no mild migraines and very infrequent severe migraines controllable by Imitrex, no acne... But obviously I don't want to risk a stroke.

Skipping periods on birth control

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:31:33 -0800

Skipping periods on birth control - how does it work, and why didn't it when I tried? I took a pack of birth control pills (21) as usual, and decided to move straight on to the next pack without taking 7 days off for my period. (I did this because I wanted to not have my period for Valentine's day.) I should also mention that the first pack of pills was also my initial month (have been on birth control in the past, but just started again). I didn't pause before starting the 2nd pack, but plan to stop for 7 days before the next pack, as per the instructions.

I thought this was ok, but a couple days into the new pack, I started to bleed - not full menstrual strength, but some spotting. This has been going on for about a week, and seems to be slowing down. So, it looks like I had a very light period anyway, despite my attempt to use birth control to skip it this month. Why did this happen? Is there anything wrong with what I did? What if I continue to have spotting for a long time?

In general, how should one go about using birth control to skip periods, and how often is it okay to do this? Why did I not succeed in doing this?

One more question: is the 7-day placebo/no-pill period flexible? Can I stop the pills for fewer than 7 days? Since my packs don't contain placebo pills, I'm worried that I will forget to start again after 7 days' break. If I decide to start taking pills again after 3 or 4 days and do this long term, is there any negative affect?

Lastly, does any of this affect the contraceptive protection I am getting? I would assume not, but better safe than sorry...

Pregnancy and Depo Provera?

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:41:48 -0800

If you're on Depo Provera, how can you tell if you're pregnant? This seems like a completely asinine question and I apologize if the answer is obvious...

But. No method of contraception is 100% effective, etc... so in the 0.1% case where Depo actually fails and you become pregnant, how can you tell, short of using a home pregnancy test monthly (Ouch! Expensive!) or just waiting till your next period (or not)?

Thanks!

What do you do with 1000 condoms, early in the morning?

InnocentBystander — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:11:41 -0800

What can you do with 1000 condoms? Besides the obvious, of course. Through some odd circumstances, we've ended up with a giant box of condoms. They are in date, and will continue to be so for some time. There are well over 1000 condoms in the box. I am married and we do not use condoms. Our housemates are also a married couple that does not use condoms. While these are rainbow colored and having a violet penis is certainly sort of neat, we're not really looking to restart condom use now. We've already given one to each person at our college and we still have over 1000 left. Our town has fewer than 1000 permanent residents.

What the hell do we do with so many condoms? Bonus points for funny answers. There is no local Planned Parenthood to donate to, and I doubt anyone would accept a donation like this from private individuals anyway (what if we'd secretly poked holes in them?). I'm wondering about some sort of...condom art project. Is such a thing possible? Suggestions, please!

CondomFilter: Leaking down at the base?

Anonymous — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:36:28 -0800

CondomFilter: What are the chances of a condom leaking down at the base? I recently started trying out Trojan Elexa condoms, and noticed that they are a little loose around the base. (Particularly since they have a tendency to unroll during use and leave a lot of the condom bunched up near the top [which is nice, unless it makes the condom kind of useless from a contraceptive standpoint])

Assuming I adhere to proper condom use procedure and hold the condom on as I withdraw, what are the chances of semen leaking out before that and causing a pregnancy? If basically nil, why not? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard to force liquid out of the slightly stretched latex band at the bottom, and it seems like sex is just about the right set of motions to put that to the test.

(Switching from Durex ultra sensitive, have average-sized penis, if relevant.)

Birth Control and Pregnancy

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:08:05 -0800

I had unprotected sex 5 days after starting birth control pills. (My birth control type advises to use an alternate method for 7 days after starting). Should I get emergency contraception? Even if it means getting my period again a week after it ended?

Diaphragms and Spermicide

otherwordlyglow — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:36:29 -0800

New diaphragm: Tips, tricks, and spermicide recommendations, please. I just got my first ever diaphragm, an Ortho All-Flex. I've read lots about effectiveness, potential side effects, standard techniques for using but I'm interested in anecdotal experiences. In particular, I'm curious about the different types and formulations of spermicide. I know you have to use the gel inside the diaphragm when first inserted but if you have sex again, within the 6 hours you need to leave it in after the first time you have sex, you're supposed to "reapply" spermicide. From what I can see, you have various options: foam, gel, and film. Are there benefits and/or problems that others who have experienced them can relate? I'm guessing that they all, ummmm, taste bad, right? Any other thoughts (yes, men, too!) are appreciated.

Ways around Nuvaring side effects?

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 11:17:46 -0800

Problems with the NuvaRing. What can I do? I started the NuvaRing two weeks ago. I had sex for the first time (on the ring) last night and I immediately felt an intense burning in my vagina that didn't go away for 45 minutes. I did some investigation and it seems that other people have complained about this in various forums but the only solution seems to be to take out the ring during sex. Are there any other ways around this? Also, when looking at the side effects, I saw sinusitis listed. I've had a cold that I can't shake for a week. Related?

Generic Birth Control Pill?

Miko — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:42:49 -0800

Generic brands of the Birth Control Pill: Are they really as terrible as I'm hearing? I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, and I love it. It actually makes me feel better than not being on a pill at all -- smooth mood, soft skin, lots of nice effects. I have no problems with it whatsoever.

....Except that it's costing me $50 a month. My insurance covers only a few dollars of the prescription price. I know there are generics for this pill, but in the Googling I've done, I've encountered only stories of the negative variety. Seems as though people notice a big difference when they switch to generics. This concerns me, because I'm happy with the way my body's working now, and if a cheaper pill would cause problems, it's not worth it.

I'm seeing my GYN in a week and will of course ask her, but I wanted to gather some reports from the field, as well.

Emergency contraception in Virginia

Nothing — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 21:07:05 -0800

What is the availability of emergency contraception in Fairfax, Virginia, USA? My girlfriend and I will be spending a month in northern virginia. We use condoms, but (for medical reasons that do not apply to the one time high dose of the morning after pill) she is not on birth control medication. We have had a condom break before, but this was in France, and she took an emergency contraceptive fromt he pharmacy and everything was okay. Of course we are careful, but breaks can happen, so I want to be prepared. What are the options in Virginia?

Does it make me fat AND happy?

juniper — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 14:52:27 -0800

Can hormonal birth control have positive side effects on mental health? I'm considering switching from NuvaRing to an IUD, mostly because of a bit of weight gain and slightly decreased libido. However, since I've been on hormonal birth control, I've been happier, less manic, and less anxious. I've been off-and-on the pill and the ring a few times over the past eight years, and I remember feeling markedly better while on it. (I have a panic disorder, periodic deep depression, and a tendency towards reckless behavior when I'm upset or bored. I take Lexapro, which does help.) Could the "smoothing out" of once-fluctuating hormone levels be helping my emotional problems, or is it more likely a coincidence? I haven't had much luck finding professional or even anecdotal discussion of this theory on the internet, so I'd love to hear about any links, articles, or personal experiences.

Can any birth control pill be used for emergency contraception?

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 19:51:47 -0800

Last night: condom slippage. Today: want emergency backup contraception. I know that I have 5 days to use it (though obviously the sooner, the better). I'd normally just go to my doc to get a prescription, but unfortunately he's on vacation and I can't even get through to his office to get an appointment today with another doctor in the practice. (All my calls have gone to voicemail for the last 5 hours.)

In the meantime, the information I've turned up says that the combination birth control pills that can be used are those that contain ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel. I have several packets of my former birth control pill (went off it last year due to side effects) containing ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone acetate. Can those be used instead? I know that the former class of pills is the only one officially approved (so far) by the FDA for emergency contraception use, but are there studies that show others might work as well?

Will Bactrim knock me up?

fuzzbean — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:25:55 -0800

What is the real-world probability of my getting pregnant while taking antibiotics and oral contraceptives? I take Seasonale as my primary form of birth control, so I only have a period every three months. I was recently put on Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) to treat an ear infection. My doctor warned me, when writing out the prescription, to use a backup barrier method of birth control "until my period would normally arrive" (ie, for another three weeks).

I've pubmedded this to death, and I can't find *any* studies indicating a link between antibiotics and a decrease in OC efficacy (with the exception of rifampin); I did find several finding no (statistical) drop in efficacy, and some attribute that decrease not to the antibiotics but to women forgetting to take the pill when they feel crappy.

I know, I know, the easy answer is, "Just use a condom for three weeks." But I really want to know! Is this a myth? If so, how did it get started--typical CYA? Does anyone have any experience with (not) getting pregnant while mixing BC and antibiotics?

Other possibly influential factors:

I'm slender (5'9", 130 lbs), so in general not worried about the dosage of contraceptives being too low for my body weight.
I just started a new pack of contraceptives the day before starting the antibiotics.
I am absolutely religious about taking the pill at the same time, *every* day.

So what are the odds?

Where can I order a cervical cap online in the UK?

By The Grace of God — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 09:00:01 -0800

Where can I get a FemCap or similar sort of cervical cap product online in the UK? I just moved here and it's going to be about a month before I can see a GP, and then I need to be referred to a gynecologist. I know how to use cervical caps properly and know what my sizes are, but how do I buy them in the UK online? Boots here is out of the Oves disposables and I'd really like to get a reusable cap. Many thanks.

Reversible vasectomy available?

lunkfish — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 10:33:37 -0800

Is the reversible vasectomy procedure now available in any country? I've seen articles about a 'vasectomy' technique where the vas is plugged with a plastic plug that can be removed. Some comments in the earlier contraceptive seemed to imply that it was now an option.

This would suit my situation, and having kids at the wrong time is my nightmare, so I'd be prepared to travel to somewhere like India or China where they were being done.

Natural Family Planning?

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 14:34:52 -0800

How have your experiences been with Natural Family Planning? This thread touched on it, but I am looking for some personal accounts that might give perspective into the ups and downs of the process. Has it worked for you? Which method did you use? Has anyone used a fertility computer such as this? Is it useful/easy/worth the money? Did you attend a training class and was helpful? Any advice or tips for a new couple?

Are diaphragms a good idea?

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 23:15:26 -0800

A question about birth control: I'm considering getting a diaphragm, and I'm wondering how easy they are to use. I'm going to visit my long distance boyfriend soon, and am thinking about getting some new kind of contraception. In the start we used condoms, but the truth of the matter is that we stopped using them a while ago and have been relying on withdrawal for some time. I know. Bad.

So anyway, rather than continue to pretend to ourselves that we'll use condoms when clearly we won't, I'm considering other methods. I've done a lot of internet research, and it seems like a diaphragm might be the go (hormonal methods aren't great because I'm prone to anxiety and they affect my mood).

My question is: how easy are diaphragms to use, and what side effects are there? I've read a million fact sheets, but I'm more looking for personal stories. Are they hard to put in or take out? Do they make you smell funny? Are they uncomfortable? Can you (or your partner) feel them during sex? If you have sex a couple of times a day, and you have to keep it in for six hours after the sex, it is okay if you just take it out to clean it and then put it back in?

Forgive my long list of questions. I've never really considered diaphragms before... I always thought of them as something women used before the pill came along!

Other info: I'm in my early 30s, have never been pregnant, we've both been tested for STIs, and I'm not in the USA.