Pregnancy is a wonderful and exciting stage for every woman, as she lays her feet on the first stepping stone of motherhood. As a woman you feel complete after attaining motherhood. After one intercourse, you start assuming you are pregnant. Confirmation of pregnancy gives you a mixed feeling of happiness and fear. Happiness is because you are bringing your own child and fear is regarding the childbirth process.

Confirmation of pregnancy through actual pregnancy tests is the right way to ascertain pregnancy.  A pregnancy test is done to ensure the presence of a hormone called HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in the blood or the urine of the pregnant woman. This hormone is also referred to as the pregnancy hormone. The presence of HCG in the blood or urine is a confirmation that the woman is on her family way.
How to test pregnancy

There are two ways of testing pregnancy; one test is done on the blood and the other on the urine for pregnancy hormone. A urine test can also be done at home to ascertain pregnancy. Blood test has to be conducted at a doctor’s place. It is noticed that in recent times, women do the pregnancy test at home as these tests are private, easy and inexpensive. Urine tests confirm your pregnancy within two weeks following the ovulation. While, some urine states that they can confirm pregnancy in a day, if your period is missed even for a day.

Pregnancy tests are done using the Home pregnancy test kit. Home pregnancy tests can be expected to be accurate if they are utilized properly. The directions mentioned in the kit should be followed accordingly. You should be acquainted with its usage as to how to use the kit and when exactly to use them.

Similarly, birth control is a system of preventing pregnancy. Birth control helps you in deciding the time factor as to when to have a child. There are different forms of birth controls available. It is essential to know about the various methods of preventing birth control. The method you adopt should give you security and also prevent you from becoming pregnant. Every birth control method has its own favors and swindles.

Birth control can be done under various methods such as family planning, contraception, fertility control, and pregnancy prevention. Generally, all birth control methods are established on the basis of restricting male’s sperm from entering and contacting female’s egg, there by preventing further growth. Birth control methods are in two types, reversible and permanent. Reversible birth control methods are within our control, while Permanent birth control methods cannot be reversed because these methods involve surgery. Vasectomy for males and Tubal ligation for females are instances of permanent birth control methods.

Birth control methods can be classified into barrier method, mechanical method, hormonal method and natural method. Condom is the illustration for barrier method. Insertion of intrauterine device is an illustration of mechanical method. Hormonal method revolves using pills. Natural methods deals with women’s body physiology.

Birth controls are available in various forms, but none of them can provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Only strict abstinence can prevent you from entertaining hazardous diseases. Some of the birth control methods are explained to have a better idea of its functionalities.

Speaking of surgical sterilization, it is believed to be the permanent method of contraception. Sterilization is recommended for couples who do not want children in the future.

What is Vasectomy?

Vasectomy is a type of sterilization done for a man. Vasectomy stops the sperm from exiting his penis during intercourse. This surgery is done by a specialist surgeon or urologist. Similarly, Tubal ligation is done on woman’s fallopian tubes, so that it is blocked and eggs do not enter. It is a form of permanent sterilization method. Tubal ligation takes 30 to 450minutes of time. This is not a permanent solution for birth control.

Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy is removal of the uterus in a woman. The IUD is also a method of birth control especially for women. It is a small T inserted in the uterus by healthcare. IUD is one of the effective and safest forms of contraception that starts working instantly. Two types of IUDs are available. One is Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) and other is intrauterine system (IUS).

There are different hormonal methods of birth control such as oral Contraceptives, insertion and injection into the body. The oral contraceptives are the pills which are available in two types, the combination pill and the mini pill. The combination pill restricts the eggs from maturing. The mini pill is also effective for birth control provided it is taken regularly. Few other hormonal methods are Contraceptive patch and vaginal ring.

Natural birth control methods are based on the sexual intercourse timings and eggs fertilization. Natural methods are the safest as it involves no side effects, surgery or drugs. But, a small slip will result in pregnancy.

When a woman is fertile, sexually active and having good physical fitness the chances of getting pregnant are very high. This is the stage when she has to ascertain whether she wants to become pregnant or not. If she doesn’t want to get pregnant at that point of life then there are various birth control options available. Before choosing the right birth control method she has to address some crucial questions. If the pregnancy is not needed now, then when it is needed, whether it is in the near future or after many years or she never wants to become pregnant in her life. These questions can determine the type of birth control option best suited to her or her partner.

Birth control is known in different names such as contraception, fertility control, family planning and pregnancy prevention. In whatever names it is called there are number of methods available for sexually active people to prevent pregnancy. Around 3.7 million women undergo unprepared pregnancy every year in United States alone.. Basically, all birth control methods are based on either preventing a male’s sperm from entering and contacting female’s egg or obstructing the fertilized eggs from placing in the female’s uterus, there by preventing it to grow further.

Some birth control methods are reversible and some are permanent. Reversible birth control methods can be stopped whenever needed and the fertility can be restored. Permanent birth control methods can not be undone because usually these type birth control methods involve surgery. Vasectomy for male and Tubal ligation of female are examples of permanent birth control methods. Birth control methods also can be categorized into barrier method, mechanical method, hormonal method and natural method. Condom is the example for barrier method which essentially prevents the sperm entering into female organ. Insertion of intrauterine device is an example of mechanical method. Hormonal method involves using pills. Natural methods do not use any tools or hormones but deals with women’s body physiology to avert impregnation.

Surgical Sterilization

Sterlization is a permanent birth control method. Vasectomy is meant for men who do not want to have children. Once vasectomy is performed sperms will not exit from penis during sexual intercourse. Generally, vasectomy is a surgical process conducted by a specialist surgeon or by an urologist after administering local anesthesia. Under this method the spermatic duct which is instrumental in carrying the sperm from testicles are cut and ends are closed. A vasectomy surgery doesn’t affect the man’s ability to have an erection nor minimizes the flow of fluid. Reversing the vasectomy is possible but the success rate is very less. Vasectomy doesn’t guard a male or female from sexually transmitted diseases.

Tubal ligation is a form of birth control methods performed for women. This is a permanent sterilization method. Tubal ligation is performed after administering anesthesia, generally on outpatient process. Under this method the Fallopian tubes are identified and closed by clipping, cutting, tying or cauterizing. The whole exercise takes 30 to 45 minutes. There could be some side effects such as bleeding, infection or any other relating to general anesthesia. Tubal ligation has a success rate around 98%. A tubal ligation surgery can be reversed and can have more success rate than vasectomy.

Intrauterine Devices (IUD)

Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) are another form of birth control methods used for women. In this method a small “T” shaped IUD made of polyethylene plastic is inserted into uterus. There is a short string bounding the IUD that passes through cervix and ends at vagina. This string helps to know whether the IUD is sitting properly in the vagina. There are two types of IUDs one is Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) and other is Intrauterine system (IUS). IUCD is made of copper and emits copper through a copper wire tied at the bottom. IUS emits hormone progesterone. It is not known fully how IUDs work. They are thought to prevent conception by causing a brief localized inflammation that begins about 24 hours after insertion. This causes an inflammatory reaction inside the uterus that attracts white blood cells. This type of IUD also alters the cervical mucus, which, in turn, inhibits sperm from passing through the cervix.

Hormonal methods of contraception

There are various types of hormonal birth controls based of the type, amount and the way hormones go into a woman’s body. The hormone delivery includes oral, inserted into the body tissue, injected into the body, absorbed by the skin or positioned in the vagina. The oral pills are one of the popular and oldest forms of contraceptives. Pills are made of synthetic hormones. There are combination pills and mini pills under different brand names. A pill is not a perfect method of contraceptive. There could be some side effects like vaginal bleeding, breast tenderness, nausea during the first month of taking pills. There are other types of hormonal methods such as Inject able, Contraceptive patch, vaginal ring, etc.

Natural birth control methods

Natural birth control methods are neither non-mechanical nor non-hormonal. These methods are based on timing of the sexual intercourse when the eggs are not to be fertilized. The Fertility Awareness method (FAM) is based on women’s symptoms for ovulation. The Calendar Rhythm method involves calculating woman’s fertile period. Basal Body Temperature (BBT) method depends on women’s body temperature as it tends to be fall before an egg is relapsed. Natural methods are safe in the sense there is no side effects associated and there is no surgery or drugs involved. At the same time a small mistake in the calculation will result in pregnancy.