By Matt Stone
“Back then we didn’t have these fancy birth control methods. Like pulling out
Everyone has their own criteria for determining what constitutes the BEST birth control method. For some, that means the method that makes you the least likely to get pregnant. For others, the best might be one that works very well and doesn’t make you depressed, fat, covered in acne,?dead from a?blood clot,?and diabetic with no sex drive.
This is a health website.?Any and all hormonal?methods must be thrown completely out the window. Most?birth control relies on administering the?death hormone estrogen,?which is extremely toxic in excess, and even appears to be somewhat undesirable at?normal levels. Anything?good that you’ve heard about it is probably being mistaken for progesterone, as?doctors have been thoroughly confused about what these “female”?hormones do based on the polluted material that they get from an educational system funded by companies that?make billions selling?hormones. Other pills rely on progestin, not to be confused with progesterone, and many women experience problems?with?it.
Anyway, I’ll spare you that whole tangent. If you aren’t suspicious and fearful about what taking?various forms of hormonal birth control might be doing to you on the inside, you should probably get off the internet and return to?watching SpongeBob, The Doctors, and CNN.
Hormonal methods aside, we are left with barrier methods and the jolly’surgical birth control methods?- tube-tying and vasectomy. Clearly if a scalpel is brandished, that automatically disqualifies a?method from being the best.?Plus, my girlfriend’s brother just had a vasectomy followed by a 2nd daughter a year later. I don’t think he got a refund.
So that’s it?? Those?horrible barrier methods?? That’s the best you can do for me?180D?
No, no, no. Of course not. I’ve got some good news. All that stuff you heard in high’school?about pre-ejaculate or pre-cum as?it is so eloquently named, doesn’t appear to be true. Pre-cum?may have little or?no sperm in it, or if it does it’s in small amounts and the motility appears to be poor enough where it’s not very viable.?The ol’ pullout method of?course has to be executed properly to work, but?when it is executed properly it’s?about as effective as any other method – certainly?effective enough to use it over the other birth control menu items.
It gets better. If you are a woman willing to track just a few simple forms of biofeedback, you may be able to further decrease your odds of getting pregnant by charting your cycles and identifying the window?of time that you are actually fertile. That window of time lasts about a week each month typically. By tracking your body temperature, which rises .5 degrees F or so at ovulation,?and the consistency of your cervical mucous,?most women?can tell pretty accurately when ovulation is approaching and when it is over.?Most women are only fertile for about 4 days each month, but since sperm has a lifespan of up to?3 days you can actually get pregnant when you ovulate from sex you had a few days prior.?This method is called the “Fertility Awareness Method,” and yes, you should read more specific things about?how to do it properly elsewhere before giving it a go. You can take a fertility awareness class HERE.
Birth control is easier than you think, and requires less cost, hassle, and genital and/or hormonal?annihilation’than people are led to believe. Also,?I’m skeptical that’the
kind of birth control you pay money for is as reliable as?we are told it is. The only time my girlfriend has ever been pregnant was during the brief time she was on birth control, for example. And she’s never used a barrier method once in her life. Pull out for the win! The three best natural methods are as follows…
- Spew?Heffner?– most risky, and should only be used by those who wouldn’t be totally devastated?by becoming pregnant. Chart your cycles and use the pullout method/withdrawal or a barrier method for about 7-10 days a month, and then have regular old-fashioned sex the rest of the month.
- Bad Pizza Method – even bad pizza is still pretty good. MUCH safer than Spew Heffner. ?Practice withdrawal all the time. Chart distance and volume. Mortal Kumbat. Test your might. No charting required.
- The Whoomp – safest. Use a Tag Team approach with a combination of charting, the barrier method during the fertile window, and withdrawal the rest of the time.
I hope you enjoyed this article. For men reading this, remember – Real Men don’t let their women take a bunch of hormones. There are enough women out there suppressing their sex drive and worsening their physical appearance through all that Special K, salad, 10k’s for drug companies, and Crossfit. Besides, would you happily take a male birth control?pill if?it made you?bloated, impotent, pimpled, and depressed?
P.S. – Read through the comments to hear some interesting discussion about what also might be viable alternatives, such as the copper IUD, some fancy gadgets and pee stix that monitor signs of fertility, and what others consider?as good as or better than the?Heffner, Bad Pizza, and?Whoomp.
When all else fails, you can?always fall back on the Timberlake Method, demonstrated to perfection in the video below…
First!!!!!
Hey! What’s wrong with watching Spongebob!!??
Nothing really. Sorry to have offended you JonO. Please forgive me.
First again!
Haha, Sasha the newcomer got ya! Her post was held up in moderation. Better luck next time Lynn!
Darnit. :)
Best summary of this topic I’ve read anywhere!
Matt, it is important to note that you do *not* have to have extremely regular cycles to use FAM. Mine are highly affected by stress, and when I am stressed or am travelling they can go from 30 days to as much as 46 days (longest cycle ever since charting; I began charting ten years ago). Yet I still have always been able to identify my fertile and infertile times. The ability to know when ovulation has occurred has nothing to do with cycle regularity. That is why FAM works, and the rhythm method doesn’t. Please correct that in your article, as it is one of the most annoying myths about FAM.
As for the pull out method, my friend used that method for nine years until she decided to get pregnant. The very first time she had sex without using the pull out method, she got preggers. So clearly the pull out method works, even for the super fertile.
I will, thanks Lynn. And yes, my current girlfriend has made me a believer that withdrawal is a highly effective form of birth control.
Great article. I’ve used withdrawal / ejaculation holding for 15 years with 100% success. “Pre-cum” has zero impregnation ability. Anyone who got knocked up using the method probably had a partner who tried for “one more stroke” before withdrawing and the first “wave” of swimmers went inside.
My temp doesn’t rise until about 48 hours after my cervical mucus is gone, and I have egg white mucus for about 7 days at a time. This is very annoying and inconvenient for knowing what’s going on when. Thanks for writing about this.
Have you ever read TCOYF? Do you have any symptoms of PCOS? Egg white mucus for long periods of time can be symptomatic of that.
That sounds about right. According to FAM, once your temps raises, it’s too late. You ovulate right before your temp goes up. When you chart for a few monthes you will see your body’s pattern and get the timing right. Get the book–she discusses EVERYTHING. She goes over fluid in much detail, and for some there is distinctionbetween egg white and watery.
In regards to the copper IUD, it was the WORST experience of my life… I got it put in and had it removed 3 days later. It caused full body nerve pain, to the point that driving was painful and I couldn’t lift my 12 month old son up. I broke out horribly, incredible brain fog and headaches, and had strange nightmares (i almost never have nightmares) both nights I had it in. I had it removed on the third day… the symptoms (except the breakout) subsided almost immediately after removal. FAM for me… I’d recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility to every woman.
i have this nifty device called the Pearly ($330, http://www.raxmedical.com/pearly.php).
it basically combines the functions of: alarm clock, basal thermometer, and temperature tracking device. it uses data from a bunch of women’s cycles and gives you a red/yellow/green light. it just takes some of the hassle out of Fertility Awareness, since you don’t have to actually write your temps down and keep track. it’s so stealth (the alarm beep starts out v. quiet and gets louder) that you can use it with someone laying right next to you without them knowing.
and bonus: the Pearly is what made me realize that i had sub-97 temps half the month, which made me pay attention when i came across 180degreehealth.
Nice Sophie. Really cool. Hopefully these kinds of things will only get more and more fine-tuned and effective as technology gets better.
for sure, i think that at some point, the ovulation-detection device could be so accurate and cheap that hormonal options can’t compete. i totally prefer the feeling of working with my body (reading its subtle signals) rather than against it. when i first was able to detect when i was ovulating, it was sort of… magical? especially since i had previously been forcing my body to not ovulate (on The Pill) which means that your periods aren’t real periods, just random interludes of bleeding in response to hormone pills.
at face value, it seems like FAM and The Pill require the same amount of responsibility, i.e., doing something once a day, at about the same time. which means that teenagers are going to screw it up, right?
the big difference is that when you skip a day on The Pill, there’s this hazy, undefined new element of risk, whereas if you skip a day on FAM, it might not matter.
if you skip days are smack in the middle of either the luteal or the follicular phase, as long as you can still detect the curve, there’s really no additional risk. the days that really matter are the ones where the temperature changes (which are the day you start your period – obvious regardless of temps – and the day you ovulate). and the more you do it, the more you understand your curve, and it becomes second nature.
i’m telling you this as if you have a period. :D
We need to convince a pharma company to market the device, and insurance companies to cover it. Then it starts competing with the pill :-)
I use a device called Persona. You pee on a stick 8x a month and it tracks your cycle and gives you a red or green light. It’s basically the same thing (and made by the same company) as the ClearBlue fertility monitor, except on the “iffy” days you would get a red light with Persona instead of a green light with ClearBlue.
It cost about $100 and the sticks are about $1/ea on eBay or Amazon (you can buy the ClearBlue fertility monitor refill sticks). The downside is, since it competes with all the hormonal crap, it’s not sold in the US. I bought mine from Amazon.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/PERSONA-NATURAL-CONTRACEPTION-WITHOUT-EFFECTS/dp/B0096O842C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366597079&sr=8-1&keywords=persona+monitor). They claim it’s 96% effective. I had the Mirena IUD for years until I decided it was probably going to destroy me and my lady parts. But damn, it sure was convenient. No periods for 6 years. I’ll take a few days of inconvenience for my health though.
Sounds sweet. I love that it’s not available for sale in the U.S. Nothing suspicious going on here! Just move right along people. Eat your GMO’s and take your estrogen and fake progesterone pills. God Bless!
There are other fertility monitors available in the US though, such as Lady Comp and Pearly (as mentioned above). So I’d say it is more to do with marketing/copyright etc. than trying to keep ifertility monitors of the US.
There are plenty of fertility monitors available, but nothing that’s specifically a contraceptive device.
yea, i called up RAX Medical (who is Canadian but licensed to sell LadyComp & Pearly in the US) and they said it was just the issue of cost that it is not marketed in the US. apparently it costs one amount to get FDA approval to sell it, and another way higher amount to get FDA approval to actually market it. weird.
i’ve been looking at that Persona thing, too. looks interesting. i might try that out at some point.
Hi Matt- are you aware of progesterone-only pills? I tried using two different types of combined oral contraceptives until a friend of mine with a heart condition suggested I try progesterone-only pills and have found them to be MUCH nicer to me than estrogen + progesterone. (Estrogen accentuated my mood swings significantly.)
The pull out method sounds okay until the day your man fumbles. Sorry, I just don’t trust a method with such a high typical failure rate!
I think it’s assumed that many men do fumble this, but it’s simply not true. I’m sure those are nicer on your body than estrogen.
How do you explain the 15-28% typical failure rate for withdrawal? (Source is wikipedia.)
Wikipedia is not a legitimate source for anything, firstly. You also have to be suspicious when you know that there are numerous commercial interests biased AGAINST withdrawal because if people thought it was effective, a lot fewer women and men would be using pills and products. Proper use of withdrawal has been found to have a 4% failure rate, as opposed to 2% for condoms and roughly 1% for hormonal contraception. Those are the stats for the proper use of the above methods. Here is a good discussion from what seems to be a relatively unbiased point of view…
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/reprints/Contraception79-407-410.pdf
But that’s for perfect use, and doesn’t reflect how reliable it is for couples who actually use it in real life?
Well, obviously if a guy ejaculates in a woman, or doesn’t put on a condom properly, or a woman doesn’t take her pill as directed the methods don’t work as well. Some people are more competent than others. Unfortunately, this means that we are breeding increasingly more incompetent people through process of birth control competency selection!
Condoms and birth control pill stats also reflect perfect use. The relative likelihood of imperfect use may be greater for FAM than condoms or the pill, but if we’re aiming for motivated and responsible, health-conscious readers, it’s not unreasonable to be honest about the relatively low conception risk with perfect use.
Also, how do you explain the history of condom and hormonal birth control usage (in the form of plants that are now extinct) before they became commercialized?
Hahahahahah! Look at you calling Wikipedia not a legitimate source, when in fact in this case it’s more legit than the sources you used in your article. The guttmatcher source you cited above got its 4% from Hatcher’s Contraceptive Technology (my Bible and which also includes FAMs- and the source I used when I listed the much needed stats in my other comment). The 4% is perfect lab use, NOT typical, not even proper use but LAB type perfect use. Again you can not use that number in real life. Stop promoting it!
Also sure now in your 30s you can stand all high and mighty claiming men don’t fumble. But you and I both know you couldn’t say the same thing of your 20 year old self, nor should you be preaching this Russian Roulette to other teens and 20 year olds with a whole lotta hormones!
I have never had problems executing the maneuver. Even nailed it on my 14th birthday, but only used it a handful of times, no pun intended, between 14 and 33. But I could see some men being overly reckless or not being able to percieve sensations well enough to succeed. It’s not tough to do though in my experience.
FAM may suit you better, as it has a well documented success rate. This is because it utilises a number of different signs.
I do think progestin only pills are better, as they only contain one synthetic hormone rather than two. However, they are still bad and carry real risks.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1755469
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10794048
http://www.creightonmodel.com/effectiveness.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070221065200.htm
I prefer to be able to have sex whenever my partner and I feel like it :)
There are also a lot of anecdotes in here. I can also bring up that I had a former co-worker who used withdrawal for a whole year and then got pregnant, and was totally shocked when she found out. She thought it wouldn’t happen to her simply because she hadn’t gotten pregnant for so long.
I know 2 women who got pregnant on the pill. Used correctly. They were shocked, too.
That’s the point I’m making- anecdotes are just anecdotes. They in themselves do not constitute evidence.
No, but Matt has come good stats on the effectiveness. I can’t remember the exact effectiveness rates for FAM, but I recall it’s comparable to the pill when you combine the basal body temp and cervical mucus monitoring.
It’s 100% effective when done right.
Marissa and The Real Amy,
In a LAB setting= ie perfect use when you combine the temps, mucus, are working with never-varying 28 day cycle etc… it’s about 96% effective but this is a LAB setting, it’s not reality. Think about it- LAB setting means NO other variables- no other life stressors, no illnesses, no human error etc… And even in this sterile, non-practical lab setting there is still a 4% chance of pregnancy. The only method 100% effective is abstinence.
You are wrong about the 28 day cycle being necessary for it to work. Completely. My endocrine system is really sensitive to stress and travel, so my cycle can go from 30 to as much as 40 something days when I have extreme stress or when I cross time zones. Yet, I have used FAM off and on for 10 years, and fully *on* for six years. I’ve never gotten pregnant.
The fact that you think a 28 day cycle is necessary for it to work shows you need to research it more. FAM is not based on counting days; it is based on looking at signs until ovulation is confirmed, whether that O is day 12, day 14, or, heck, day 30. The outdated and useless rhythm method relies on counting days, not FAM.
Just me, but I had a horrible experience with progestin pills (no estrogen). Terrible acne all along my jaw line (pretty clear skin before and after). I gained 15 lbs in a month. When I was having these reactions to the pill, I consulted the ob/gyn who had prescribed them and she just said my symptoms were post-partum and prescribed tetracyclin–no change. I went to a DO dermatologist on my own dime and she told me to quit the pill and prescribed spironlactin (spelling). Within 5 days my skin was clear and I’d lost 5 lbs– I finished out the 30 day supply and have never had a issue with my skin since then. Never used birth control pills since then, either!
Used the withdrawal method for > 2 yrs with no problems. Birth control pills are bad news.
Thank you, Matt, for writing about this! I wish I had this information before beginning to wreck my health 11 years ago when I decided to try the pill for a year. I went crazy–psycho b*tch attitudes I had never before experienced–and completely lost the strong drive I always had. One year later, my husband was begging me to just let him wear condoms until we were ready to get preggers. We practiced “The Whoomp” for three years and then got pregnant the first time we tried for a baby and used Spew Heffner until we got preggers with our second. I’ve been an FAM advocate ever since and warn–often incredulous–women about the pill every chance I get.
Now I’m on the other side of this after having two kids and I cannot have a successful pregnancy even employing Spew Heffner. I’ve had four miscarriages since having my baby gal–now three years old (I will mention my son’s type 1 diagnosis happened one year after the birth of baby gal so I’m sure that did not help anything. Hello, crashed adrenals….) I will be calling when my hubby gets his next commission check. Help!
I will say this, your advice has helped increase my body temps and my sex drive is moving back in the nice and toasty direction; nevertheless, I need some tweaks. The excess weight continues to stick to me like glue and my food sensitivities remain full throttle.
Again, great advice. Listen up ladies and gentleman!
Good article dude- as a young guy not looking to have babies just yet, I think about this a lot.
Thoughts on the non-hormonal IUD? I knew a couple of women who use it with no trouble, and supposedly IUDs are even more effective than the pill. Allegedly, they’re not the same ones as back in the day that carried a bigger risk for infertility.
RISUG (http://www.newmalecontraception.org/risugvasalgel/ ) looks to be on the horizon and seems like a good option. Though it is (minorly) invasive and scary to me, personally.
Since heat can reduce sperm count, guys can also use the ‘external heat’ method to reduce their fertility: http://malecontraceptives.org/methods/simple_heat.php It’s not exactly convenient (soaking the little fellas in hot as you can handle water for 45 minutes a day for several weeks straight, then follow ups of a week or so every few months to maintain low sperm count), but it’s non-invasive and coupled with other methods during fertile windows, it could work without the need to withdraw. Interestingly, semen may have antidepressant qualities when absorbed vaginally: http://theweek.com/article/index/232372/semen-natures-antidepressant Not sure if that’s due to the presence of sperm specifically or other compounds.
As for external heat contraception, I’m curious how this impacts testosterone levels and sex drive, whether sperm count specifically is a proxy for the former, and a decrease in one leads to a decrease in the others. Anyone have ideas on that?
One more thing: what I like best about FAM and withdrawal methods is that the require attentiveness, and run counter to the trend toward automation and ‘zoning out.’ Paying attention to yourself and your biofeedback is itself a healthy practice and aligns with long term well being.
i looked into the IUD situation back in 2007, before buying the Pearly (mentioned above). so my info might be out-of-date or based on bad sources in the first place (mostly forums).
the only non-hormonal IUD that i’m aware of is the copper IUD (brand name Paragard). the mechanism is that it excretes tiny amounts of copper, which cause a minor ongoing inflammatory reaction in the uterine wall, which makes it a hostile environment for a pregnancy. it’s widely used in China and fairly common in France.
at the time, i just felt like i was wanting the most natural solution possible, and causing any level of chronic inflammation in any part of my body was going in the wrong direction.
i also asked a gyno about my options, and she said that she won’t put IUDs in women who have not given birth, but that some gynos will. there is some perception of a greater perforation risk (gughhk) with women who haven’t given birth.
Hi Matt and Sophie,
I’m a long-time reader, first time poster. I’ve had the paraguard copper IUD for two years. Getting it was the best decision I ever made. Before getting my IUD, I had so many pregnancy scares while using a combination of FAM, condoms and pulling out. Anytime my period was a day or two late, I would start to panic. Getting the IUD took a huge weight off my shoulders. Also its really nice not to have to worry about taking temps, using a barrier, etc. IUDs are pretty much impossible to mess up, and in the long-term, they are much more cost-effective than hormonal methods.
Yes, for the first two-three months, you will likely have spotting, back pain, and heavy periods. But it does get better as your body adjusts to having an IUD in it. The first three months my periods were more heavy and with more cramps than usual. By six months after insertion, my periods were exactly like they were before getting the IUD. I have no side effects from it.
As for copper toxicity, the IUD releases less copper per day than you would find in a typical multi-vitamin, so its really not much of an issue. There’s more copper in an avocado than an IUD releases. Of course IUDs have some risks, but to me the risks of IUDs were much lower than hormonal birth control. And it was much better to me to know I was protected against pregnancy with the most effective reversible method of birth control.
There is a lot of misinformation and out-dated information out there about IUDs, likely because of prescription drug companies not wanting to lose customers. For example, IUDs are safe to insert in women who have never given birth, and it is no more risky than inserting them in a woman who has given birth. I would look into finding a gyno who is more up-to-date and has a more positive attitude towards IUDs. Some gynos are very against IUDs, perhaps because they know if a woman has an IUD then she won’t need to visit the gyno as often as she would if she takes the pill, or perhaps just because of false information.
Thanks for sharing Zoe. Good to hear. All things considered the non-hormonal IUD may top the list.
the copper IUD was my first runner-up if FAM didn’t work out. mainly because they are more popular in Europe than US… that seems to indicate some disparity of information. i just looked that up to make sure i remembered it correctly. use of copper IUD is about 5-10% of all methods in many Euro countries, highest in Scandinavian countries.
i don’t have any particulars on your situation, and exceptions certainly exist, but if you were having multiple pregnancy scares using FAM, you might not have had all the info about the follicular and luteal phases.
for anyone considering FAM:
if you can accurately pinpoint the day of ovulation, then your period will come 12-16 days after that. the variance is from woman to woman, but once you know your LP length, it is stable for you. (in very rare cases, it is longer than usual, cysts and whatnot. so not 100% reliable.)
the variation in “period length,” like when you have a 26-day period, followed by a 31-day period, is all coming from variations in the follicular phase, that is, the time from menstruation to ovulation. so if you detect ovulation accurately, a weirdly long follicular phase shouldn’t create a pregnancy scare, because you know that you ovulated “late.”
and if you know your ovulation day, and then your period actually is late by like 3, even 2, days, then you pretty much know you’re knocked up.
also, this all depends on the big IF: if you can pinpoint ovulation accurately. some people’s systems don’t cooperate as well as others.
With non-hormonal IUD’s that use copper there are a lot of side effects such as spotting, heavy bleeding, backache, and copper toxicity. Hot ball soaking doesn’t sound particularly good for the testes either, which do a lot more than just produce sperm. Not does that sound practical. The RISUG is not something I have heard of before, but looks like a decent option all things considered. But I’m always a little skeptical.
My friends doctor says he doesn’t recommend them to women with PCOS. He says it causes flair ups.
One thing many people aren’t aware of with IUD’s is that they allow fertilization but then disrupt the lining of the uterus so that the embryo can’t implant. I wonder what the long-term effects of doing this could be???
Hi! I had a copper IUD put in after my first baby was born, in 2007. The first few months I had normal periods, nothing too crazy. But then my periods started to get pretty terrible, slowly but surely. After a year had passed having the IUD in, my periods were extremely heavy (to the point of me passing out on the heaviest days). They were heavy, really long, and really painful. I then did some research, and decided to get the F’ing thing taken out! My periods slowly returned to normal.
My body is extremely sensitive to hormones, so that’s why I opted for the copper IUD, but it turns out my body is also very sensitive to that! So after baby number two in 2009, my husband got a vasectomy. Hopefully that wasn’t the wrong choice… There wasn’t much out there saying that vas is bad, but I still wonder sometimes, “what have we done to him?” That can’t be very natural either. I’m wondering if we should reverse it to make hin “whole” again!
Eesh, that sounds rough. Yeah a vasectomy sounds like a pretty decent option all things considered. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Thanks for your input and experiences with the copper IUD.
Sorry to hear about the rough go of it with the copper IUD.
I think the biggest concern is post-vasectomy pain. If he’s not experiencing pain and you’re sure you don’t want any more kids (right now anyway), then going back under the knife may not be worth it. http://www.vasectomypain.org/home
I know someone my age-ish (around 30) who had it several years ago and is happy with it, and to my knowledge, experienced no major side effects. I know others with vasectomies. It works great for some people.
But there’s very little hard data on long term relational outcomes after vasectomies, though anecdotes of loss of attraction and relationship dissolution/divorce exist. It would seem that for some, the loss of fertility, whether conscious or not, has a negative impact. Maybe one day we’ll have better information, and not just assorted stories.
My parents used withdrawal/charting methods and had 5 kids, none of whom were explicitly planned, so I’d say it didn’t work to well for them. I get violently ill on my period when I’m not on the pill…I take the non-vomiting route with the peace of mind from NOT getting preggers. The risks are worth it to me, especially in light of having missed work from being so sick during my period off the pill.
I used to get violently ill on my period too. I’m talking pale as a ghost, heavy bleeding, had to stay in bed like an invalid for three days every cycle. However, ever since I treated my Hashimotos and Addison’s disease, I no longer have those cycles. Vomiting during your period particularly suggests adrenal issues.
I definitely think it is worth looking into treating the underlying cause.
Hi Lynn, that is interesting that vomiting might be related to an underlying condition. I get vomiting and diarrhea as soon as the cramps begin on the first day. Every month I swear I won’t take codeine, and then I’m begging for it. My mum and a few other women I now were the same but it got much, much better after they had a baby. Problem is, I don’t want to get pregnant any time soon! I use FAM- sex only from end of bleeding until cycle day 7, and then again no sooner than 3 days post ovulation. Mine is pretty accurate. I get egg white cervical mucus for 4 days, and then sharp mittelschmerz on the day I ovulate, and my period is 14 days later. So my cycle length can vary widely- used to be 60+ days when I recovered from amenorrhea, but now typically 29-35, longer end of things if I am stressed or if I work out during the follicular phase (especially HIIT). I used this to my advantage recently by making my period a week late so I wouldn’t be vomiting on the morning of my wedding. I know my FAM strategy is probably overly cautious, but I don’t like the unexpected! On a long cycle, we could go 20-25 days without sex :O Usually it’s two weeks. FAM is great for keeping an eye on body temp; I used to chart 35 degrees Celsius all the time.
Have you been checked for endometriosis? My mother had those symptoms and they finally went in to look for endometriosis and discovered that she was riddled with it and they had to do a complete hysterectomy at the time, they said she was just a very short time from having full blown uterine cancer. The procedure to look for it is not as invasive as it used to be, now they can look with an endoscopic procedure.
We used to use FAM in the form of naked sex until CD 5, and then condoms until six days post O because I am paranoid. :) However, now we are using FAM to chart my O so that I can avoid sex completely during that time, along with condoms all months long. We are using this method now because we are getting married this year and I do *not* want to get preggers beforehand. I don’t want kids at all really, but it would be a disaster to get preggers before my wedding. Shudder.
Actually Matt, is there any way you could do an article on the biology of not wanting kids? I had a lovely childhood and am close to my family, so not like that is a reason. Everyone around me is going gaga for babies, and I have no desire to have any. This doesn’t make any biological sense though. Of course in my case it could be the fact that I know people with babies, and many of them seem to do nothing but talk about how awful it is!
An article on the biology of not wanting kids would be great.
Hi Lynn. I dont’ want kids either, I never have. I also had an amazing childhood. I completely hit the jackpot with my parents, family, and friends. I just don’t want kids. I love spending time with my friends children (in small doses), but I like to be able to come home and eat my food while it’s still hot, thankyouverymuch. I also have wondered about this from a biological standpoint, because I actually hate babies (yes, I so know that I’m going to hell). I have a mild physical repulsion to them. The sight of a baby, how they smell, even the very thought of one makes my entire body recoil. Interesting…
I have a weird aversion to the whole diaper changing business of having a baby. Stuff like that repulses me, and it seems babies are always vomiting or needing their diaper changed.
I like kids over the age of 5, but I don’t like babies.
Do your friends complain a lot about their kids too?
Me as well. I adore kids, over like the age of 7, but I actually really do hate babies. Not just the diapers and vomiting, the whole package.
What’s interesting is that my friends never complain about their babies/kids. Not that they are saying that everything is always perfect, but overall their experiences have been amazing.
See, I think they look cute. I just find the sleep deprivation and diaper busines to be off putting. If they slept 12 hours a night (straight through) and were toilet trained, I’d probably be okay.
Keep in mind the wonderful option of adoption. If you like kids over the age of 5, there are so many amazing kids already on this planet that need a fantastic home. No diaper changing necessary!
Same as that. And after having two kids I can compare my period pain to labour pain. Now I have Mirena coil and no periods. Not ideal but at least no more pain, vomiting, passing out in the street. It needs to come out this November and unless I can find something that works as well for those symptoms, I’ll be getting another one.
I wouldn’t use the pull-out method unless you’ve got good self control and are open to the possibility of pregnancy. I used the method a bit as a teenager, and didn’t always manage to evacuate the premises in time. As you can imagine, that wasn’t the most welcome news…
But to be honest, I use a modified pull-out technique these days. My wife and I have sex the old-fashioned way until we get close to the end, and then I put on a condom for the last couple minutes. It can be a pain in the ass (figuratively… you perverts), but it seems to be a good compromise. We charted ovulation for a while when we were first married, but that had its own frustrations and we gave up on it.
By the way, thanks for the Dirty Work reference. Norm McDonald is probably my favorite comedian.
I think the take home is that every form of birth control has its annoyances and risks. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. But withdrawal is probably safer than it is made out to be from a pregnancy risk point of view (if you have good control, that is). And the health risks of IUD and pills and vasectomies and all that stuff are downplayed with the effectiveness overhyped. Just trying to level the playing field here a little bit between the two.
I’m with you. I think the pull-out method is perfectly reasonable for adults who wouldn’t be devastated to find out they’re pregnant. I just don’t think we should add it to the curriculum for high school health class, because condoms and the pill really are much more reliable.
Also, totally with you on the Norm McDonald thing. His roast of Bob Sagget was a perfect example of my sense of humor.
Nice. That roast was comedy genius.
“Greg Giraldo… has the grace of a swan, the wisdom of an owl, the eye of an eagle… Ladies and gentlemen, this man is for the birds!”
When all else fails there is the Seay Method. Very low pregnancy risk but side effects include bowel problems, anal leakage, rectal bleeding, and loss of self-esteem.
In the house. There’s also what the French call “La Cravatte de Notaire or “La Branlette Espagnole.” If you practice that, then you don’t have to worry about the problems Matt cites above.
Ouf, cravate de notaire.
Tres bien Thomas!
From what I have read, although pre-cum does not contain sperm, if the man ejaculates before attempting the pull-out method some sperm from the ejaculate may remain and be pushed out by the pre-cum. This can be avoided by the man urinating after ejaculating and thereby clearing the path so to say.
Or of course the woman can get herself a raging case of PCOS and wella!… problem solved. Which would not be optimal of course.
On that note, I have a more serious question (sorry, this is not related to the topic)… Mr. Stone, I am wondering if you could help me. It seems I am one of the typical metabolic X syndrome females you talk about often in your books and blog. However, I am having trouble putting together diet/exercise program specifically for myself since I basically have it all and it seems some recommendations for some symptoms contradict recommendations for other symptoms. For example; my main problem constipation so should I be eating fruit? but I also have PCOS so should I be avoiding fructose? Plus, I have food intolerances and now have skin issues since starting to eat meat again (was vegan for a few years, go figure!).
I would like to have a consultation with you but I’ve already spent a fortune on trying to get better, so I just want to know first if you think you can even help. If you think you can, I would gladly shell out the rest of my savings though! Can I contact you directly somehow first or could I just give you my situation in the replies section of this blog post?
Oh and thanks for this awesome website!
Yes, that is true. The pullout method doesn’t work if you haven’t peed since your most recent ejaculation.
As for you, just eat for an increase in metabolism, including fructose (although you don’t want to rely on eating a bunch of indigestible food to move your bowels, but a metabolism increase). You should improve and if you run into some problems I will be happy to talk to you about it for whatever you can afford. You can book sessions with me via the Store on the site under “Get Help.”
Oh whoops you already said that. Forgive me, I’m bored and I can’t actually read through all these comment, lest my head explode.
YO!
How do you think FAM would work if you’re also in the midst of trying to raise your basal body temperature? Do you think that I should wait to go off birth control until my metabolism is healthy and relatively stable? Or is it worth it to get off of birth control ASAP to help heal the metabolism?
Kind of a chicken and the egg thing, I guess. Yeah.
I think strapping on a rain jacket is a good idea during that time of the month when you least want to stop for technicalities, if you know what i’m sayin’. And a word about pre-ejac, if you’ve already had a go ’round and there are some swimmers in the pipes, I consider pre-ejac to have some dangerous potency.I’ve never gone on the pill, I’ve always used barriers with first time offenders who I don’t know explicit details about their health, and with my partner when my lady parts are conspiring for perfect planting conditions. No babies yet! Knock on wood, huh huh huh.
Great timing as I’ve recently convinced my girlfriend to get off the pill because I though it was bad for her. Right now we are looking to use FAM.
But, I was also wondering about progesteron. Ray Peat people told me that taking natural progesterone is not only beneficial to a woman’s health but is also an effective birth control method. Do you know anything about this? I haven’t been able to really research this topic yet.
Hey there, I can’t really get too into this too much right now, but I just wanna make sure everyone knows that progesterone out of balance is bad too. You can get thickening of the uterus that lasts forever, you can become depressed and sluggish and really constipated, among other things. I absolutely believe that non-hormonal birth control is the best way to go.
My gut feeling said it was probably no good either but I was still interested in it. I will research the health risks of supplementing with natural progesterone.
5 months ago, I got my hormones tested and found that I had hardly any testosterone, normal estrogen levels and that my progesterone levels were in low-normal range. I supplemented with natural progesterone and didn’t like it. I used high levels of the progesterone, but had to start tapering off and stop after my 3rd month of doing it.
What I should have done is worked on raising them naturally (eating fertility food). It threw my hormones off balance and I think I’m having a lot of high estrogen symptoms now…sheesh. I was better off not doing it.
Many people on the Interwebz write that progesterone supplementing with natural progesterone is pretty risk free, but I don’t think it was for me. Be careful. I won’t take any other extra hormones at this point, except Vitamin D.
I teach the Crighton Model FertilityCare System (a FAM method mentioned above) and we have really good success rates for both achieving and avoiding pregnancy. it is also very effective for women who are nursing babies. All learning sessions are taught individually so it is very private for the couple. Plus, there are some physicians that use the charting for diagnosis and treatment of medical issues and use bioidentical hormones, if someone would be open to that. My husband and I would rather just wait for the right time and “complete” the deed when we can. As a woman I woulf find a “pull out” method very unsatisfying. this is an interesting discussion from a natural health standpoint. Thank for bringing this into the light.
It’s always surprised me just how strong the desire not to pull out is, even when I know damn well that I don’t want a baby. I conclude it’s just part of the biological imperative. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that (some) women would find it similarly unsatisfying.
Me too!!! I’m a women (so I don’t really know what that would feel like from a male perspective), but I completely agree. I find something about it moderately unsatisfying. It always leaves me with the feeling, “WAIT, YOUR’RE NOT DONE YET!” And no, I don’t have kids, nor do I ever want them.
Thanks for the post Mr. Stone!
When all else fails, there are always coat hangers. Oh! Did I really just say that?
I wasn’t familiar with the term. I had to ask my girlfriend the sexpert for clarification. At first I got excited thinking that this was like a Pearl Necklace only better. Now that I know it’s not, you better start using your concussion as a defense.
Oh right, that must be it. I never made a joke like that before in my life. Golly, I hit my head hard!
Jesus, we already know you are anti-family. With everything going on in the news do you really think that is an appropriate comment to make? Maybe consider there could be women here who have had abortions?
Oh my god Tierney, I love it! I love that you think I’m anti-family! You just made my day, oh god that’s good. What’s also good is getting a lecture on being sensitive and appropriate from someone who is flat out telling me that I am anti-family for god only knows what reason, I’m guessing because of how I think it’s ok for women to be in the military and not do dishes.
See, on the contrary, I think making jokes about horrible terrible things is the best way to make light of them. I think coat hanger abortions are awful, that’s why I support any and all efforts to keep abortion safe and legal. But it was a joke, and I kinda don’t know what news story you’re referring to and why it should make a difference, but ok.
You haven’t read about Kermit Grosnell’s trial?
Some things are really best not to joke about, I know you can’t believe it yet.
You are right, Tierney. What a hideous case. What annoys me the most is that really how different is this from “normal” abortions? It’s not really. That’s the sad, sad truth.
Yeah, I just read about it. I knew about that. And it actually kind of is a whole lot different than normal abortions, and if Tierney doesn’t jump all over you for your insensitivity towards those who’ve had abortions for what you just said there, I’m gonna have a fit. Let me just state again, I think abortion should be safe, legal and ACCESSIBLE and what this case underscores is the lengths women will go to to get an abortion and how places that are sneakily side stepping the constitution and essentially outlawing abortions are putting women’s health at risk. If any woman who’s had an abortion reads my joke then reads what I wrote here and is still offended, by ME and not Lynn, then to hell with ’em.
The actual procedures of abortion can involve suctioning and cutting. I don’t want to go into any more details as it is hideous to think about, but it is just as graphic as what he did. The only difference really is that the babies were older. It all depends on when you think life starts: I think it starts straight away, and you clearly think it is fine to end life up until a certain point. People can lie to themselves all they like, but the fact is if abortion didn’t involve stopping a human life it wouldn’t be considered traumatic.
I speak as someone who used to be pro choice (which is really pro abortion) and changed my mind after seeing two friends literally go insane after having had abortions. I also changed my mind after communicating with two abortion doctors and getting up close and personal to the way their scary minds worked.
There is no “constitutional right” to an abortion, Julia. Fine if you are pro-choice, but at least get that straight.
Jesus you’re condescending! Well, when life finally hits me with that wallop that’ll humble me from making jokes about inappropriate stuff, you’ll be the first to know.
hey, heard any good ones lately about the 8 year old boy that was blown up in Boston?
Ew. Not even a little funny.
I’ve been using the whomp method successfully for over a year now, and women in my family are super fertile. Once you get going with the FAM charting, you learn your rhythms and can get a bit lazy at certain times while still being aware of what’s going on – esp. if you have a super regular period. But it’s kind of triple protection: FAM to know when you’re fertile + withdrawl at all times just in case + condoms during fertile times (and actually I’ve been known to request withdrawl + condoms to be super safe – because I really do not want a baby right now!).
Easy, safe and cheap!
Matt,
Your girlfriend has NEVER used a barrier method? Isn’t she worried about STIs?? Aren’t YOU worried about STIs??! Condoms to more than prevent pregnancy.
Amazingly, she never had any run-ins with STD’s. Nor have I.
But didn’t y’all ever sleep with someone who maybe could have? Shit, I wanna see documents before I forgo condoms. Or only sleep with virgins, but that has its drawbacks, too…
Absolutely. I would never ride bareback without having full bloodwork and exclusivity.
I think you are drastically overestimating the risk of STD’s in your mind.
Yes. That’s possible. But with all due respect, I prefer paranoia to The Clap- or worse. The joys of being a child of the 90’s, I suppose.
Should I honestly believe that if I pee after I have sex my pre cum will be just as clean as the first time?? Seems Vedy Skedy! Who thinks using a condom when properly put on and ejaculating inside is safe? I’ve always pinched further down than just the tip, that’s not enough room at all LOL. I also practice raw doggin (LOLOL) then barrier when I’m near a lot of the time. I will tell the chicky to get in tune with that “mucosity” (get it?) And when we’re talkin about muscous consistency are we talking about when she’s wet from being aroused?
Nah, we’re talking about how around ovulation, a woman is a hot, soft mess of sopping egg whitey gookus.
I thought the same…until I got Chlamydia. :P@!
Although I don’t know if this is pro or anti condom since this was with 100% condom use (really. internet anonymity, why lie?) for vaginal/anal intercourse.
I don’t use barriers for oral/touching/etc. at all and I guess that’s what it came down to for me. That being said, using dental dams or condoms for blowjobs is not worth doing whatsoever in my opinion. I guess everyone has to draw the line somewhere and if yours is no condoms then I can understand.
Yeah, that’s another reason why I think oral sex is like a gazillion times more intimate that good old fashioned genital sex. You’re right, condoms with oral sex is just silly. So just don’t do it unless you’re sure of the person, is my motto.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting that the barrier method is inappropriate for a random hook-up or someone in high-school.
I surely hope not. See, I taught a Sex-Ed class and any talk of disregarding precautions makes me cringe.
There’s a significant gray area between random hookup and committed relationship. To never have used a condom means you bypassed that whole stage, putting yourself at risk for something uncomfortable, or potentially even life-threatening. That’s all I’m saying. It’s a risk. No judgment. Have unprotected sex to your heart’s content! :) I’m ‘a stick with condoms.
Agreed about the importance of using rubbers for non-committed relationships. Keep in mind that there are many people who only have sex in the context of monogamy and enjoy certain privledges as a result.
For sure. I’m in just such a relationship, myself. I’m purely referencing the “has never used a barrier method” part. In your life? YOUR LIFE??! To me, that is more than a little cray, in this day and age. So is agreeing to be in a “committed relationship” before you even try sex with a person. I mean… 2013!
It’s just a simple matter or risk vs. reward just like anything else. Everyone has a tendency to overstate the dangers of infectious disease while downplaying other risks, like dying in a car accident, because people just accept that risk because of the reward of transportation ease. And everyone has their own hierarchy of priorities. For my girlfriend, a life using condoms isn’t a life worth living. It’s really that important to her.
Seriously. Probably depends on where you live and stuff, though. I’m not really a random partner kind of gal anyway, but here in NYC the STD stats are through the roof. No way am I going sans-condom without someone getting tested!
NYC also has the highest average notch count of any city in the country, around 23 partners per person. I think the lifetime national median is 3-6. The median here is probably higher, but I think there’s also a smaller percentage of highly sexually active people with a much higher than median partner count.
In this context, from a public health perspective, an across the board condom recommendation makes lots of sense in my mind.
23! It sounds plausible, and jives with what I have seen of the NYC dating scene, but wow. Still the hysteria about STDs is overblown in medical offices around here as well. My doctor had an intervention with me when we spoke about my habits with my long-term partner. I was lectured that all men cheat and told “You can never know for sure.” It was horribly condescending, alienating and off-putting. Matt is quite keen on recognizing that the hysteria that surrounds sexual protection bares many similarities to the other health propaganda/ paranoia that this site addresses.
Agreed on this- there are benefits to exclusivity and there is lots of unnecessary fear-mongering around sex.
I find it ironic that it cuts both ways, though. On the one hand, I was taught in high school and college a ‘sex-positive outlook’ that cast no aspersions on casual sex as long as you used condoms, completely ignoring or downplaying the emotional and long-term relational consequences of hook up culture. On the other hand, making informed decisions like using withdrawal was quickly and widely derided as irresponsible among sex educators who I was in contact with.
When I have kids, I intend to convey a different set of parameters for deciding priorities and making decisions. It’s certainly an odd mix of permissiveness and judgment that I was taught.
Fuck yes it does! Wrap it up, people!
I think I am understanding this right. You use condoms, because you’re afraid of stds. So that means even when giving him head, you still put a condom on him. Wow. So either you don’t give head or he wears a condom. If you are worried about std’s, and not using a condom during those moments, maybe you need to rethink your ideas a little bit.
No ma’am. What I am saying is that I have used condoms in the past with partners whose sexual health and history I don’t know, because yes, I’m not looking to pick up a crotch infection. Kids out there reading this, you should do that too! Don’t listen to these people, STD’s are real! Look up the stats! And about oral sex, I agree that condoms involved make it not worth doing, in my opinion. That suits me fine, as I reserve that particular act for partners whose sexual health and history I do know. I hope that’s ok.
I’m with you, Safety Girl. There are consequences to everything, yes, and maybe the hysteria we’ve lived through has made us a wee bit overly edgy about things like HIV and the like. But the statistics aren’t invented, the guy I know who has AIDS really exists, the girl I know who got gonnorhea is real as is the friend who caught a yeast infection from a guy- lucky them, they can carry but not have any symptoms.
Bumping uglies is a seriously intimate thing, and unless I know a person so well I feel like they’re inside me, they ain’t going inside me without a barrier, end of fuckin’ story. Let’s not even get into the risks of HPV and subsequently, cervical cancer.
Preach. I think the attitude that the likelihood of catching a disease is slim so you should just go for it is a bit careless.
The driving analogy is interesting, but not entirely accurate, Matt. I’m not suggesting never driving – that would be silly. I’m suggesting a seat belt. It doesn’t prevent all injury and death, but it prevents a significant number of injuries and deaths. And the truth is, unprotected sex is dumber than not wearing a seatbelt because you’re also putting someone else at risk – your sex partner.
There’s a reason why some countries are overrun with AIDS and overpopulation. Because it’s contagious. Contagious enough to have it spread wildly in conditions where sex education is poor, religious beliefs get in the way and/or condoms are too expensive.
Not to mention that I know a number of real actual people who have had chlamydia, genital warts and gonorrhoea in real life. And I don’t live in NYC.
Again, within the context of a committed relationship, do what you like. It’s your life. It’s just the advocacy that barrier methods are overrated and potentially unnecessary that is a bit of a head-scratcher for me.
Right on, Safety Girl. Your seat belt analogy is on the money. And you’re right, endangering your partner is a big risk, too. I think a policy of rubber wearing is about respect.
There are still many things left to consider. I don’t get contagious diseases like I used to because whether a disease is spread from one individual to another depends on a lot of factors other than presence of a virus or bacteria. Population density as well as being sick and underfed are obviously huge factors in how contagious diseases are there vs. where I live. I doubt condoms are going to save Africa from STD’s. Their problems seem infinite.
My point of reference is also very different. I’ve only been in a handful of relationships, each one averaging 2-3 years since age 14 – mostly with upper class suburban white chicks. That’s very different from hanging out late partying (something I’ve never done), getting drunk and doing drugs (never done), being up all night (almost never do), and having sex with strangers on a regular basis (never done).
Clearly my risk profile is way down. Others risk profiles are way up compared to mine. Many things need to be considered. I was responding in the way I did because many people I know or have known have an irrational paranoia about many things – getting eaten by sharks while swimming in the ocean, flying on planes, getting eaten by a bear while camping, and getting and STD when all the high-probability factors are absent. Neither my girlfriend nor I have ever knowingly met a single person with AIDS or HIV, for example, in the combined 79 years we’ve been on this planet.
Jesus Stone! Where do you live? Inside a Norman Rockwell painting? Never done drugs or been drunk or stayed up all night doing either one? Wow! You’re so clean, we could eat off you!
I hear you on disease susceptibility, that’s an interesting piece. Improved health can probably improve your chances of fighting off an STI (disease and infection, broad sweeping terms these days). But do you know particularly how various STI’s attack the body and what hosts they’re into? Some germs love young, healthy people, or rather, some germs only cause a negative reaction in young healthy people because as we know, much of the unpleasantness of a disease is in the immune response- more immune response, more dis-ease. Like the flu of 1918. Took out my perfectly healthy great grandmother. Only made all the old timers a lil’ sick. Just a thought.
So upper class suburban white chicks are safe, huh? I’ll keep that in mind the next time I’m feeling frisky;)
Yeah, I’ve always been ridiculously puritanical with most things, and interestingly, never because I thought I should. I have a strong aversion to mood-altering substances. More like a phobia. And I’m even more freaked out by being around others in an altered mood. It’s creepy to me, like what hanging out with a bunch of people with Alzheimer’s would be like if there was 200 of them but only 1 of you. Like a zombie movie. Hence hobbies like 44-day backpacking trips (and long-term relationships for that matter!).
Well, I was a real puritan about substances and stuff too, until this gay guy I was all in love with totally derailed my “but it’s not real, feeling it is useless” argument with pure, utter logic. But yeah, I hate being around people who are all high and drunk too. I’m squeaky clean these days, but even in my dirtier youth, I usually ran and hid and just sat around by myself contemplating stuff from a fun new perspective. Def worth every lost brain cell. If you ever wanna come over to the dark side, you should take a ride up here to Pennsyltucky, I’ll show you a good time.
I get what you are saying. However, you weren’t as healthy in the past. and perhaps your gf wasn’t. Therefore, either one of you could be carrying an STI without knowing it. I’d get tested. It’s free and easy (no pun intended).
As for your youth, it was a complete contrast to mine. :) There was a lot of alcohol in my youth, and I am a real night owl too. So I’ve had plenty of fun times after midnight!
Suburbanite white people are some of the stupidest idiots in the world when it comes to safe sex because they think that STIs don’t apply to them. All of the friends I’ve known who have had STIs are white, middle-to-upper class and perfectly healthy before being infected, without exception.
Sorry to derail the birth control issue into an STI issue, but in my mind, it all ties in. It’s about being responsible for your own health.
Matt, I’m sure you have a great many readers who do not fit in your extremely narrow “safe” category (which, as I have mentioned, I don’t believe is actually all that safe from anything) and I’d hate for them to think that because they’ve been 180-ing it for a while, and their metabolism is chugging along nicely, that they’re magically protected from STIs.
P.S. I have only had nightmarish experiences on the pill, I currently have a hormonal IUD (that I HATE and plan to have removed) and I am actively avoiding pregnancy with my husband at this time. So I get it. But I think condoms are super important and their place in the grand sexual scheme shouldn’t be minimized.
Yeah, that sounds a little excessive to me. I’ve been raw doggin girls for years and I haven’t got an STD… yet.
I always fall in the 2% failure rate no matter what method I use correctly. lol
I got pregnant on the pill, but it turned out to be ectopic. I have always been curious if being on the pill caused the ectopic.
Hey Myndie,
To answer your question. Birth control methods are highly effective at preventing uterine pregnancies, but less effective at preventing ectopic pregnancies. They don’t cause ectopics, or increase your risk for them, unfortunately they just aren’t as successful in preventing them.
People who are pro-life should be aware that any type of birth control that has this quality is an abortifacient as well as a contraceptive. It means one way it works is by preventing implantation in the uterus (i.e., the embryo was conceived, it just was prevented from implanting in the uterus because the uterus made inhospitable). Pills and IUDs both have this quality. I didn’t think about it when I was on the pill, but is one reason (of many) I would not go back on. It’s really downplayed by doctors to prevent abortion controversy, but for people who believe life begins at conception, it is a real concern. Apparently these birth control methods usually prevent conception, but when it does occur, the changes induced in the uterus prevent the implantation (but would not prevent ectopic pregnancy, in which the embryo implants in the fallopian tubes).
Yes, that upsets me too. I wish I had known the pill had this effect. :(
Lynn and The Real Amy,
Here’s an interesting scientific fact for you. Please pass it along as I hear your concerns a lot, especially as the whole life begins at conception and personhood bills try to get pushed through congress.
We estimate that 50-80% (I know it’s a huge margin of variation but think of how hard it is to do these studies and find the numbers) of all conceptions are lost. Although some of these we are aware of as miscarriages, most we don’t even know about, as they are lost with a woman’s next period.
I’ll state it again:
50-80 percent of all conceptions are lost. This is not a result of birth control methods either- this is on NO method. Turns out it’s actually trickier for a healthy egg to embed than we thought. As one- there are a lot of incomplete/unhealthy eggs that are not viable with life and two- the time of fertilization to true implantation takes upwards of 7 to 10 days… in that time the egg is cruising on down the tubes and into the uterus and often just rolls right out.
So if we define all fertilized eggs that are lost as abortions, or murder (as some radical anti-choicers believe) then we are in fact, almost every single one of us guilty of having an abortion or causing a murder of a fertilized egg.
Science is so awesome!
I know that many conceptions are lost naturally, but these are two completely different situations. An egg simply not implanting on its own is nature. It’s not a viable egg, or the body is not ready to bear it or whatever, and it doesn’t happen for reasons we cannot understand. That is not an abortion. An abortion is the termination of a healthy embryo that should otherwise have become a human being, and yes, this does happen with certain birth control methods. An egg that was totally viable is prevented from implanting.
If pills and IUDs have been shown to be very effective at preventing true, uterine pregnancies, but less effective at preventing ectopic pregnancies, then that tells you how many healthy, otherwise viable embryos are being aborted.
Maybe you are ok with this morally, but many women are not, and you need to respect that and not try to dismiss our reasoning.
The Real Amy,
My apologies- I think I wasn’t clear enough before. The primary mechanism of action for the vast majority of contraceptives is ovulation suppression. If however a woman has break through ovulation there are other mechanisms to prevent the egg from implanting.
IUDs are the exception; however even Mirena has been shown to cause some ovulation suppression.
I am sorry you feel as though I am dismissing your reasoning. I am not. I am carefully presenting you with facts so that you and others can base your reasoning on a strong body of research, proven facts, knowledge and understanding.
Wow, you are being very condescending. And quite vague with your “science.” I don’t know anyone in this world who says that any time a fertilized egg is lost, it’s an abortion (except in the medical terminology where all miscarriages are technically called abortions). Yet I see this “argument” raised as why intentionally preventing implantation is no different. As though a child accidentally being hit by a car, and a child intentionally being run over are the same.
But go you for saying you’re all scientific, and embracing the bash du jour for anyone who disagress — the rest of us must just be religious reactionaries who think dinosaurs roamed the world a few thousand years ago.
I agree with Annie. A natural abortion can in no way be compared to a deliberate surgical abortion.
And while I’m at it, what IS your point exactly?
That because something happens all the time, accidentally and unintentionally, that it’s ok to do it intentionally too?
This is a little outside the topic of birth control per se, but what about those of us with super-low progesterone AND estrogen? I lost my period almost a year and a half ago (shortly before quitting the Pill, which I was on for a decade), and [multiple] lab tests later found I have extremely low estrone and estriol and borderline-low progesterone and estradiol – plus triple the upper limit of testosterone (hello, PCOS). I tried “natural” stuff for a year to no avail, then did a 10-day progesterone withdrawal test, which predictably failed (since I lack the estrogen needed to create a lining). I then agreed to take 14 days of estrogen + 7 days of progesterone, and all that happened was a few days of light spotting. After that, I gave in to my doctor’s suggestion of Metformin, and I’ve been on that for 2 months – still nothing. I’m only 28 years old, by the way. I’m also on Armour for Hashimoto’s/hypothyroidism.
Yeah, I have a long history of extreme dieting (though my weight is on the high side; diet and exercise began to fail me years ago), and am trying to address that. I actually committed to basically doing your Diet Recovery about 2 months ago (though I just stopped working out a week or two ago) and have been eating LOTS. I’m severely bloated and have gained over 10 lbs. But no sign of Aunt Flo yet.
Any thoughts/advice? I clearly lack both estrogen AND progesterone. Hopefully the Metformin is bringing my testosterone down, but I don’t know yet, and I don’t really like that I’m taking it anyway. My thyroid numbers aren’t terribly high either, despite my 2.5 grains of daily Armour, but they’re ok. Basically, I sure would like to get my period/fertility (and with it, my sex drive, please!) back, and it’d be awesome if my weight would also stabilize so the bloat could go away and then maybe I could go about losing excess fat in a healthful way for the first time ever.
Hey April,
Just wanted to say I was in a similar situation to you last year- restricting for years, exercising a lot, my body knackered, though I was never very thin or ‘unhealthy’. The expensive genes & endochrinologists all just diagnosed me with PCOS, put me on LOADS of fertility meds, (chlomid, double whammy progesterone, pill etc) all to no avail. I had worse than post menopausal levels of oestrogen and progesterone, and insulin resistance. It looked like I would just never get my period back (having lost it for bout 4 years from ages 18-23).
Last year, I did the refeeding protocol on Youreatopia.com. docs were all ‘aaaaahhhhh stoooop’ about it, BUT…..I got my period back 5 months in. The physical polyfollicular ultrasound diagnosis somewhat reversed, my hormones normalised, and I am basically probably able to have children now without loads of meds and awful procedures (been a BIT of a shock for the bf…..who has now made a rapid shift from withdrawal back to condoms ;)). Bottom line- PCOS is way over-diagnosed, a lot of the ‘symptoms’, even physical ones, are the result of dieting and chronic restriction (as are thyroid problems). I am still on the metformin, but more as a ‘might as well’ than for any other reason. Also, taking agnes castor and d-chiral inositol (the former helps get progesterone on line and the latter helps with insulin resistance along with the metformin, but is effing expensive). Best line of offence- ETF!
Thank you SO much for your comment, imago – you can’t imagine how helpful that is. I realize now that I didn’t even mention it in my original comment, but the one other person I’m really “listening to” at this point besides Matt is Gwyn Olwyn, and I’m basically doing the Your Eatopia guidelines too, augmented by Matt’s anti-stress S’s and other Diet Recovery advice, etc.
So I guess I was in quasi-recovery for 6 weeks, since I was still exercising, and am now 1.5 weeks into “true” recovery.
It is extremely heartening to hear that you got your period back 5 months in. I haven’t known what to expect, because from the looks of me, I am MORE than “weight-restored” (I didn’t have any weight TO restore, honestly!), so it’s really helpful to hear from someone else who wasn’t underweight.
Can I ask what your experience was with the weight gain/fluctuations? Did it ever come back off? On what kind of timeline did all that occur? I’m ok with being patient, it would just really help to have a better idea of what to expect. Having started at a high-normal weight to begin with, and already having gained 10 lbs, I’m rather wary of gaining a bunch more and then having it stick around for a really long time. Would love to hear your experience with that.
Now that the forums on Your Eatopia are closed, I’m not sure where to go for advice/support while following the protocol…any ideas?
Thank you again!
Hey April,
More than happy to give you the low-down on what my experience was like- I don’t know how to PM or anything from here just at the mo, but will see if I can work it out. In the mean time, a quick overview that won’t be too boring for everyone else on the wall ;).
About 7 years restriction/heavy exercise from age 16, always BMI 20-21, gradually worn down and no period from age 18. Started last April with the miniMaud guidelines, full on about 4000kcal/day. I will warn you, the gain was quite shocking, and more than I could have ever expected- I went from BMI 21 to 28-9 in 4 months, gaining basically 3.5 stone. I was itchy, hot flashes at night, swollen, feet and hands swelled at odd times, felt SHIT. Majorly traumatic. But, that is the healing, and it was not a normal reaction to eating more- the fact that that was waiting for me meant that it was best to get it over with- you don’t wanna live your life with the fear of eating too much causing some dramatic reaction. I also got my personality back- ME! My parents were delighted, and I felt more full of life, full of emotion, and effing LUSTY than I had for years.
That said, 4 months in I could not take it any more. Some people have it easy and stop gaining BMI 25 or something, stay there a while and shrink to 23 without eating under 3000/day. Others have it tougher. I basically got so bored of food I could have taken it intravenously, and just dropped my intake, and started walking around a fair bit. Within a week I had lost 5 kg, and dropped about 1.5 stone fairly effortlessly on a high fat diet and no exercise over the next few months. I’ve been pretty stable past few months, as don’t want to lose all the advantages I gained, so am gonna hang here a while because I think there are more repairs to be done, but am exercising a bit.
So, basically, I am not where I want to be, but not a million miles off, and have gained a vast amount, and got myself ‘back’ in a funny sort of way. It has been hard but worth it, and best not to focus on the weight, as that is not the main thing. Whatever happens with that in the short term will resolve, and you have to do a ‘hysteresis’ to get out of your metabolic rut in terms of weight! I would really recommend a Skype with Gwyneth- she is truly awesome, and will answer all your questions. I’ll see if I can find a way to make contact and give you more details!
Btw- much of the initial gain is generally just water weight- more uncomfortable than fat, but also transitory!
HI
I am doing the Eatopia protocol too
There is a forum that was carried on by the eatopia people:
http://www.edsafehaven.com
It is not as active as Eatopia- but still worth a join, or a read.
I am on it..
Emma and I having been having a long convo about this whole deal on this blog entry
http://180degreehealth.com/2013/04/anxiety-a-meta-medicine-perspective#comments
ie, about the process, and starting the healing from normal/high weights.. etc..
Our convo is toward the bottom of the pg
In fact, I just realised, if you are registered on Youreatopia just sign in and search ‘imago’ and click on my user name in a post, you can access my email details etc. if you want more of a discussion :)
I’m not registered on Your Eatopia, since I started following it RIGHT after she closed the forums. I just went and tried to register anyway, but it appears there’s no way to create new accounts anymore :( Damn!
Aaaaah I see, uzilu.com is another really good forum- (made by Youeatopia members after the forums shut) we can PM if you register there :)
When I was very young and in love, I got the pill. Two days after taking it, I didn’t like how it made me feel and threw it away. Same deal with the sleeping pills that I was prescribed, but that is a different topic.
I used only the cervical cap when I had a commmitted boyfriend and with other partners, I used condoms. I never got preggers or an STD.
Condoms will not protect you from a lot of STDs, even though they may cut down the risk for some.
Wow- I’ve just read through a ton of misinformation. 1st there are half a dozen progestin only methods on the market. Second, the doses of estrogen in the combo hormones come in low dose and lower dose and really low dose. There are types of hormonal contraceptives including Skyla, Mirena and the NuvaRing that stay more localized decreasing the systemic effects. And in fact the increasing of hormones might not be all that bad. Think about it- a woman can ovulate up to 480 times in her lifetime, and as most women nowadays are no longer pregnant for the majority of their fertile days, women are ovulating more than ever. More than our ancestors ever did. Taking hormonals in a way tricks the body into a pregnancy state, which if we look at history this is in fact a more normal state of being for a women. Odd I know, but definitely something to ponder over.
Also none of us live in a lab, therefore none of us are perfect, therefore always consider the typical use numbers for any form of birth control. These numbers are based on LARGE populations- not on what someone’s cousin’s friend’s single experience or belief was.
Throwing in some numbers that are sorely missing in both the article as well as the above comments: Couples pregnant w/in 1st year of using:
No method: 85%
Withdrawal: 27%
FAMs: 25%
Condom: 15%
Pills: 8%
DMPA: 3%
IUD: 0.4%
Vasectomy: 0.15%
Also sperm is everywhere- a single ejaculation has about 300 million of those little swimmers. They are in precum (Matt not sure where you got your false info saying they weren’t), they are in urine, they are everywhere. Even post vasectomy they hang around for quite sometime which is why a back up method is needed for awhile.
Finally, although no hormonal is 100% and yes women do sometimes get pregnant on them, I can tell you that the hundreds of women I have seen were not using a hormonal method. Nope- they seeking abortion services due to failed withdrawal, or thinking they couldn’t get pregnant, or a failed condom or nothing at all. Additionally I suspect the same is true of those seeking the morning after pill.
I will say I am not against FAMs, nor withdrawal – as long as both partners are willing and it’s not a horrible thing to get pregnant- both are great methods. However they are not nearly as effective as hormonal methods, the IUD, or barrier methods.
Lastly a word of evolutionary caution. Women are at their most beautiful, desirable and horniest during ovulation. And sadly most women in the world are not as in control of their own fertility rights as most likely Matt’s readers are. Therefore I am asking for no false judgements about all the options of birth control. It should absolutely be a woman’s right to decide what her healthy family will look like and she should have access to all the support she needs to do so. I get nervous when I read misinformation and scare tactics, especially when I think of the high rates of teen pregnancies in this country, as well as knowing that 1/3 of all women have an abortion during their lifetime. The last thing we need is contraception bashing of any sort.
1. “Increasing hormones” via various birth control methods is harmful in many cases and we know that, except perhaps in very rare cases.
2. Progestin is not progestrone and has very different properties and should’t be likened to progesterone in any way.
3. Taking hormones does not mimic pregnancy. It’s true that women didn’t ovulate much in traditional societies, which doesn’t mean that’s healthier. It might be, it might not. Using that type of reasoning has no merit.
4. Statistics on withdrawal and FAM are always going to be biased and shouldn’t be blindly trusted. Also, both require skill and attentiveness and there will be great variation in couple-to-couple results. A couple should consider their competency to use these methods carefully before embarking.
5. An average ejaculation contains 180 million, but can contain a great deal more or less. Men with less than 5 million sperm per ml of semen (far less than what is found in precum) are considered infertile.
6. Most examinations on precum show that it contains very little viable sperm. I’m not sure where you got YOUR information – via an organization with a motive to promote lucrative products and exploit new markets?
7. Revised statistics and a more thorough investigation into withdrawal show that it is almost as low probability as barrier and hormonal methods.
8. There needs to be lots of contraception bashing. It poses many health risks and dangers. There are health risks and dangers of abortions and pregnancy and many other things as well. I am aware of that. Nothing we do is without risk and danger. It’s about weighing all the pros and cons and making the most appropriate choice based on one’s personal hierarchy of priorities. The bias against teen pregnancy is also purely cultural. Amongst industrialized nations there is no population crisis or any other reason, other than personal, to be fearful of pregnancy enough to subject oneself to substantial health risks associated with popular forms of contraception.
Yes, Kelsey sounds like she is working for PP. They seem to think that abortion and hormones are always better than pregnancy and negative health consequences. Those types of organisations always seem to love hormonal methods, as an unplanned pregnancy seems to be the worst thing ever in their eyes.
Nice assumption but nope I don’t work for PP. Just clarifying facts here. PPs most certainly don’t ALWAYS prefer TABs and hormonals over other methods. It’s up to the individual women to judge her situation, not up to the provider. For lots of women an unplanned pregnancy is not a big deal, while for others it is. “Those types of orgs” follow guidelines and protocols based on extensive research studies, to service a woman’s individual needs.
Kelsey, I think everything you said was worth mentioning, absolutely, and sorely needed on this thread. Especially for girls who are reading through this to find information for their reproductive health. There are many angles to look at things from. I like the idea of not using hormonal birth control, I’ve always been personally opposed to it. But considering the world we live in and how we live in it, I totally see why some women choose it. You can say it’s “cultural” that we think teen pregnancy is bad, but it’s also “cultural” that we eat big meals at holidays and pop corn at movies and even have a period called “adolescence” at all. I feel like the strength of the ideas on this site are that they are actually applicable to real life in the real world. And here, teen pregnancy is not desirable from an economic standpoint, personally and collectively. Not to mention, it just kind of sucks to miss out on all the cool things that being responsible about our fertility affords us, like college (if you’re into that) or just being young, unfettered and able to explore. Trade offs? Always. And it’s good to see both sides represented.
Planned Parenthood, though they ask me always if I want birth control, is a wonderful organization devoted to giving women the right to health care and family planning, no matter their income bracket. They discovered a breast lump on a woman I know who did not have insurance, and they have been my gynecologist forever, always doing a thorough job. I hate the demonization of that organization and the idea that they love abortion. They provide birth control and birth terminations, yes, and they get a lot of focus on that aspect of what they do because it’s so damned controversial.
Thanks Julia. Glad PP has treated you well. Although I am not affiliated with them, I’ve worked with them a lot and I absolutely love them. As you know they do a great job providing all types of GYN care- in fact abortion is only about 3% of what they do. They also have the largest data base in the US (it’s all de-identified information so no HIPPA violation) so we get to learn a lot about satisfaction rates, adverse effects, effectiveness of methods etc.. from them. They are also extremely conservative because they are always under attack- which means that they are extremely focused on high quality care for the most women they can serve.
I know it. My local clinic doesn’t even do abortions, but they do ask a lot of questions.
Well, you work for some type of FP clinic, surely. And as for that 14 year old girl, I’m sure getting an abortion was extremely traumatic for her, yes. Abortion is often traumatic because deep down people know that they are terminating a life. Otherwise, I don’t see why abortion would be considered traumatic. If women didn’t know this deep down, it would just be akin to a D and C.
I wonder will this girl regret it when she is older. Of the three people I know who have had abortions, two ended up seriously regretting it to the point of requiring psychiatric in-patient facility care. I also wonder if that 14 year old was pressured into the abortion, since I assume parental consent is required for under 18s.
There is nothing wrong with women *choosing* to take hormonal contraception; however women are generally not informed about all the long terms risks. These side effects are clearly delineated in studies and in the package insert. However since doctors play down these side effects, women are led to believe that hormonal contraception is basically side effect free.
You know Lynn, I think it’s a case by case thing and possibly none of anyone else’s business. I was just out to lunch with a girlfriend who had an abortion at 16. She has two kids now, is married. She has zero regrets, was talking about how glad she is that she had the abortion because otherwise, how different would her life have been? She was not traumatized, to say the least. Everyone takes it differently, and a lot of it has to do with A.) how the pregnancy came about B.) the amount of support she receives from those around her and C.) guilt, which is less of an innate thing and more of a programmed thing, I think.
Lynn,
Does it change your mind to know that it was a rape case? I’d imagine that she’s been through hell and I am grateful that we could take care of her and help relieve some of her suffering.
Also for clarification, (although there are state bills trying to change this all the time) parental consent is not necessary- a pregnant girl is considered an emancipated minor. Thank goodness cause I’ve seen some serious f–ed up incest cases that I am happy the parent(s) didn’t have a say in… But after reading this blog- looks like if only we could teach these perpetrators the proper technique of withdrawal all these girls wouldn’t have to get abortions! Brilliant plan! Matt maybe you could promote your “Bad Pizza Method” to these guys?!
Kelsey,
Do you think that’s at all unfair or rhetorically dishonest? I don’t recall seeing anyone here making withdrawal recommendations for incest/rape.
I’m afraid it doesn’t. I mean surely abortion will just compound her problems. Not only does she have to deal with the fact she was raped, she also has to deal with having had an abortion and that can never be undone. I also wonder if the pro abortion side *ever* think of the child? Why should the child suffer if the woman was raped? IMO, the rapist should suffer, not the women and child.
I think it’s awful that parental consent is not neccessary when someone is only 14. Wow!
Lynn,
I don’t think you can make the judgement call that “surely abortion will just compound her problems.” You don’t know that, as Julia stated- each woman feels differently. I’ve spoken with hundreds of women who have had abortions, some recently after their procedure and others 20 to 40 years later. Of these hundreds of women I have never heard a woman say she regrets her decision. I have heard women cry at how hurtful society’s judgements have been to her, but not cry regret. One woman summed it up perfectly stating, “I do not regret my abortion, but I have the right to mourn.”
Another thank you letter came from an incest survivor to one of my provider colleagues which stated, “Thank you so much for helping me, I am so happy that I got to finish the 4th grade.”
I could go on and on Lynn, but I don’t think I’ll change your judgement. Just remember they are your judgements, not to be placed on other women. Life is very very messy. My job is to service women as best as I can. To do for them what I can to help relieve their suffering both in the short and in the long term.
Why is this lady mourning if abortion is not killing a life? Also, if you work at a FP clinic, you are not likely to meet women who regret their abortions. Such women tend to go to counsellors, not FP clinics.
As for the fourth grade child, again I really wonder if she was old enough to make that decision with an eye to the future. What a horrible, horrible situation for that child. :(
And I still wonder why your concern is always always for the women only. We were all babies in the womb after all. Do they never think of that? Do they not see babies as human?
You can’t get pregnant when you are practicing FAM. If you do get pregnant, you weren’t practicing FAM.
Having sex only within marriage helps a lot too with the emotional side of birth control.
Yes, actually abstinence is the best birth control method! I know some people think it’s not realistic in today’s society, but I practiced abstinence as a teenager and am glad I did for many reasons. It would be great if if were taught alongside the birth control education.
Weren’t you? My sex-ed teacher always stated that abstinence was the best method, to which we all rolled our eyes. Like duh, we know that. Now gimme that banana and let me see if I can get this condom on it.
Under Pres Bush- the only way public schools would receive public funding was if they only taught abstinence only. Unfortunately the poorest states- ie the Bible belt went for it and we watched teen preg rates steadily climb. I am a firm believer that teens need all the facts (including risks and benefits) regarding their options, and that they should have access to these options.
When did I say anything about abstinence-only? I think abstinence should be encouraged and emphasized, but information on the birth control methods also provided and taught as something that would be necessary for those who choose to have sex anyway.
I was never encouraged to practice abstinence. Just taught birth control methods. At school that is. I got educated otherwise at home, etc.
Yes you can. Always a chance for spontaneous ovulation. Chances stress changes one’s cycle etc… Even w/in a lab setting (ie perfect use) FAM is not 100% effective.
Just wanted to add- yes they have very low concentrations, but that is exactly the point of hormones. They are expensive molecules for the body to produce, and as a result we are highly sensitive to them, so only tiny blood concentrations cause dramatic effects. It is only when you get hormonal overdrive in pregnancy that you get anything approaching ‘high’ concentrations. Small amounts in pills still have significant (and sometimes devastating) effects on the whole organism.
Hi Kelsey,
I know I’m joining the conversation late, but I was wondering where you got your statistics from. Is this the general population or only females who received abortions? Because I think it if it’s the latter, it seems to me the percentages might be skewed.
I have been using the pull out method for many years and never got pregnant. My first pregnancy we weren’t using any form of birth control (irresponsibly for that matter!) and the second was planned. I’ve never used any hormonal birth control methods thankfully, but after having 2 kids I really don’t want anymore and had gotten super cautious, but this post makes me feel more comfortable with the method we always had success with.
I was on birth control for 8 years starting at the age of 12 for endometriosis. If I could go back, I would be adamantly against it. I was so chunky and way too mellow. As soon as I quit it, I dropped 20 lbs and was happy for the first time in a long time. I did get back on it after I got married, and the dr even tried to convince me to use different ones, YAZ, nuvaring, etc. I felt like crap and immediately gained weight. I hate it with a passion!! We’ve done natural planning ever since and have gotten pregnant only when we wanted to. Also, some of my symptoms of endometriosis returned since my last baby, but after eating DR2 way, my periods are super light and short and no cramps at all! It is really amazing, having had such hell with it as a teenager.
No cramps by eating a certain way? omg, what do you eat? please share!
I cut way back on my water intake. And, I eat for heat. Like toast and jelly and eggs in the morning with chai. Lunch is maybe pizza or a sandwich, or little frozen wanton thingys. Dinner is usually just normal meal like pizza and salad, or hamburgers and oven fries, spaghetti, etc. For snacks, I try to keep it salty and sweet… like pretzels with chocolate chips. And, I drink kefir water. It has taken me a few months, but my temps are majorly up!
Well, me and the ex GF did the ol’ Spew Heffner method for about a year and a half, and if we still sometimes decide to hook up, we do the Spew too..
One effect this has had is that i HATE condoms now and can no longer use them. There is just no sensation and no sense of connection the way it is without them…this will be interesting with my next partner since so many people are overly attached to condoms.
Definitely check out the app Kindara. I have a Pearly but I like how Kindara lets me chart cervical mucus and make notes, in addition to just temps.
I use Kindara, too. Highly recommend!
will do, thx
If pulling out is so effective, why did the women’s movement have to do what they did to get birth control legal in the first place? Why did so many married women have hormonal / cycle issues that could only be corrected with B/C before it was legalized across the board? Because previous crap wasn’t working. Not all men have the F&*King self control to pull out on time.
Do you have the full version of the abstract you sited? I don’t like the fact that the abstract didn’t cite the total sample size, it only cited the numbers of HIV positive men.
It only takes one sperm to get a female pregnant.
True, it only takes one sperm to get a female pregnant, but having sperm counts below 5 million is considered “infertile,” so clearly there needs to be a lot for pregnancy to be high probability. We are talking about probability here.
As far as the women’s movement to get birth control legalized, little did they know what kind of collateral damage many females would soon face.
Very few hormonal/cycle issues are corrected with birth control despite doctors handing it out to women at the sign of any problems. It also probably isn’t the best way to go about correcting cycle problems even if it did work.
That was just one example study I used. You are free to explore more and see what you find.
Check out this pre-ejaculate study, here: http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/17989852/2011004309/name/2011%20Killick%20et%20al.pdf
Again, it is a small sample size, as in the HIV study, and they listed possible failures of their study (men not realizing they had in fact ejaculated, not getting pre-cum samples and using ejaculate as their sample for fear of not having a sample, etc.). They conclude that the amount of sperm in pre-cum is enough to render 2.5% of women pregnant in a year of use. This seems very consistent with the 4% perfect use failure. They also ensured that these men were abstinant (including masturbation) for at least a day so they didn’t have previous ejaculate in the samples.
Personally, I use sympto-thermal fertility awareness and use withdrawal during my fertile times. I’ve been safe using withdrawal WHILE FERTILE for multiple years now. Sure, I could be safer, but I’m fine with the safety level that I have at the stage of life I am at.
Matt, I can’t find on your website how to contact you personally, but I want to tell you the “multiple ovulation study/article” link you have is bogus, please please take it down! The study was studying waves of follicular development. Your egg begins in a follicle which develops in waves and only in that final wave of development does ovulation happen. Just the once :) A double ovulation can happen, but within 24 hours of the first. After that, increased levels of progesterone inhibit a further ovulation.
In addition, I teach the sympto-thermal method of fertility awareness and am very familiar with all types of birth control and would be happy to write a guest post on your blog about fertility awareness and/or other types of birth control. Please let me know if you are interested :)
I would love to have this sort of post.
Thanks Hannah for sharing- correct super small study size of 27 but at least higher quality source for sure. Important to note that the study design did not require subjects to collect all of their pre-cum, just a small sample of it. The authors suggested condom use from start to finish based on their study’s findings of sperm in pre-cum. Also Matt’s sited source for sperm not being in pre-cum was from an HIV study of only 25 subjects and those authors, contrarily to Matt, did NOT conclude that there were no sperm in pre-cum based on their study. They did find HIV transmission possible via pre-cum though. But again way too small of a study to draw any generalizable conclusions from.
Yes, that study stated themselves that they did not think any conclusions about sperm in pre-cum should be drawn from their study (the HIV one).
I do think, though, that withdrawal is a much more viable option than most people make it out to be, so long as the man in question is capable of timing correctly and having enough self-control to execute.
I agree with Matt that it is very important to asses your ability to practice a method correctly before you use it. This applies to all methods.
Please see my responses in CAPS
1. ?Increasing hormones? via various birth control methods is harmful in many cases and we know that, except perhaps in very rare cases.
THIS IS A SWEEPING STATEMENT VOID OF STATS.
2. Progestin is not progestrone and has very different properties and should’t be likened to progesterone in any way.
I THINK THAT PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT. BOTH ACT ON THE FEEDBACK LOOPS OF THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY, HYPOTHALAMUS AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TO INFLUENCE FSH, LH THEREBY SUPPRESSING THE OVULATORY AND UTERINE ENDOMETRIAL CELLS.
3. Taking hormones does not mimic pregnancy. It’s true that women didn’t ovulate much in traditional societies, which doesn’t mean that’s healthier. It might be, it might not. Using that type of reasoning has no merit.
SEE ABOVE ABOUT THE MIMICKING PREG: IN THE MOST SIMPLIFIED EXPLANATION IS KEEPS THE CYCLE IN THE LUTEAL PHASE. ALSO I THOUGHT I WAS CLEAR ABOUT STATING THAT OUR CURRENT INCREASE IN OVULATIONS IS AN INTERESTING THOUGHT. THAT’S IT- I DIDN’T JUDGE IT AS BEING BETTER OR WORSE, JUST INTERESTING AND WORTH CONTEMPLATING.
4. Statistics on withdrawal and FAM are always going to be biased and shouldn’t be blindly trusted. Also, both require skill and attentiveness and there will be great variation in couple-to-couple results. A couple should consider their competency to use these methods carefully before embarking.
ASKING WOMEN W/ UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES HOW THEY GOT PREGNANT IS STANDARD PRACTICE. THERE MAY BE SOME REPORTER BIAS BUT IT’S A HUGE SAMPLE POPULATION SO BIAS IS GREATLY REDUCED. I ALSO LIKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF A COUPLE CONSIDERING THEIR COMPETENCY FIRST- JUST HOW DOES ONE DO THIS? I AM IMAGINING A BLOW UP DOLL?
5. An average ejaculation contains 180 million, but can contain a great deal more or less. Men with less than 5 million sperm per ml of semen (far less than what is found in precum) are considered infertile.
TRUE THAT SPERM COUNTS CAN VARY- I USUALLY SEE SOURCES ESTIMATE 50-500 MIL. AND YES IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST ONE SPERM TO PENETRATE AN OVUM (SEVERAL SPERM MUST POUND AGAINST IT, SOFTENING ITS MEMBRANE SO THAT ONE CAN FINALLY ENTER AND DEPOLARIZE IT), HOWEVER YOUR EXACT STATEMENT: “Pre-cum has no sperm in it.” IS A MERE EXAMPLE OF SEVERAL “FACTS” IN YOUR ARTICLE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY FALSE.
6. Most examinations on precum show that it contains very little viable sperm. I’m not sure where you got YOUR information ? via an organization with a motive to promote lucrative products and exploit new markets?
AGAIN SEE ABOVE. I WILL ALSO CLARIFY THE VASECTOMY PIECE- WE USUALLY RECOMMEND 15-20 EJACULATIONS POST VASECTOMY BEFORE SOMEONE IS CONSIDERED FREE FROM SPERM.
7. Revised statistics and a more thorough investigation into withdrawal show that it is almost as low probability as barrier and hormonal methods.
PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR SOURCES FOR THIS. I AM CURIOUS TO SEE THEIR SAMPLE SIZES, RESEARCH METHODS, P-VALUES ETC… THAT BEING SAID. I DID AGREE THAT WITHDRAWAL IS A VIABLE METHOD. JUST LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF JAPAN. CONDOMS AND WITHDRAWAL ARE THEIR MAIN METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL.
8. There needs to be lots of contraception bashing. It poses many health risks and dangers. SOURCES- PLEASE START LISTING YOUR SOURCES WHEN YOU STATE THINGS LIKE THIS. IT’S JUST IRRESPONSIBLE POOR REPORTING NOT TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR ARTICLES WHEN YOU MAKE SWEEPING MEDICAL JUDGEMENTS. There are health risks and dangers of abortions and pregnancy and many other things as well. I am aware of that. Nothing we do is without risk and danger. It’s about weighing all the pros and cons and making the most appropriate choice based on one’s personal hierarchy of priorities. The bias against teen pregnancy is also purely cultural. AND CLINICAL- UNFORTUNATELY TEEN PREGNANCY COMES WITH A HUGE SET OF INCREASE RISK FACTORS. Amongst industrialized nations there is no population crisis or any other reason, other than personal, to be fearful of pregnancy enough to subject oneself to substantial health risks associated with popular forms of contraception.
THE NUMBER ONE FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL OB/GYNS USE FOR THEMSELVES ARE IUDS. THEY USE THEM NOT BECAUSE PHARMS BRAINWASHED THEM INTO DOING SO, BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO UNDERSTANDING THE PATHO OF THE BODY, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF METHODS.
FINALLY- TO THE TEEN W/ THE UNINTENDED PREGNANCY IT OFTEN IS A CRISIS FOR HER. I WAS JUST IN THE OR FOR A 14 YEAR OLD’S ABORTION. IT WAS DEVASTATING. WE WERE ABLE TO INSERT AN IUD IMMEDIATELY AFTER- I AM GLAD WE COULD CARE FOR HER.
And to follow up on your most recent response to Sarah Jane Smith. Matt you stated “True, it only takes one sperm to get a female pregnant.” Again this is another false statement by you… With the exception of IVF, it takes more than one sperm to soften the egg for penetration. Basic anatomy and physiology seems to be lacking here and misinformation is abundant.
You obviously didn’t read that comment very carefully, as I stated 5 million isn’t enough sperm to get a female pregnant.
I have stated a few references (weak method) in my article, other statements and belielfs are an accumulation of learning a great deal by communicating to real health-conscious people about this subject for many years in the 50,000 comments on this blog and elsewhere.
It’s not irresponsible to fail to list a bunch of resources for every sentence in every article. It’s not a method I typically rely on, nor would I have the willpower to force myself to do it even if I did feel it necessary. Anyone can go find resources to make any claim they want. I could give you 100 references showing that smoking prevents lung cancer if given enough time to cherry-pick and manipulate the information out there to prove my point.
Other statements are based on pure physiology. If a pill contains estrogen, and we know estrogen is harmful, sending our physiology down several self-deteating pathways, then we know it does harm regardless of whether a female is able to percieve this harm with noticeable symptoms or not.
Also, the prescription inserts in the BCP packets tell you about the proven risks of the pill, like increased risk of stroke. The fact that it’s been classified as a group 1 carcinogen is evidence of harm. The findings about HRT in menopausal women – which uses the same hormones as BCPs – are ample evidence of the harmful effects of these synthetic hormones. It’s quite clear that they are harmful. Many people would rather be in denial because they’re “convenient.”
Matt, perhaps you are doing some clarification in your comments, but your article itself is full of misinformation. I read it very clear. And most of your readers I suspect will read the article and not scroll through all your comments so they are getting false info only from you. You stated “Pre-cum has no sperm in it.” FALSE. You also stated “Most birth control relies on administering the abortion hormone estrogen,” which again is FALSE. As estrogen is NOT an abortion hormone- mifepristone and misoprostol all abortion meds- neither of which are estrogen. Also the article you referenced for your estrogen misinformation is based on animal studies. Look at the references- author used rats, mice and dogs receiving high doses of estrogen and progestin to draw his conclusions. Hormonal birth control levels are no where near these levels, nor are they even near HRT levels (which do present more risks). Finally progestin is the primary ingredient for hormonals NOT estrogen.
You can’t even begin to imagine the comprehensive breadth from which Ray Peat’s conclusions have been made.
I did not mean abortion as in getting an abortion, but as in death to fetus. Estrogen is extremely anti-metabolic, anti-respiratory, etc… anti-life!
Both estrogen and progestin are used depending on which one we’re talking about here.
to clarify neither estrogen nor progestin cause a fetus to die. Hence the reason why the morning after pill is ineffective if the pregnancy is already established.
One of the reasons I value this site is its honest attempt to cut through a lot of the bs and call things what they are – moral judgements aside.
Calling something a fetus doesn’t tell us what that something is, only the stage of development that something is at. So when we’re talking about abortion, we’re talking about the intentional killing of a tiny human being. Science is crystal clear about that (is there anyone that can honestly claim that isn’t true?).
So regardless of what side of the “abortion debate” you are on, we should have the intellectual honesy to call things what they are, and not use language that intentionally obscures that reality.
Political correctness has never been a hallmark of this site and I hope it doesn’t feel it needs to go that route just because a topic is controversial.
Giving proper scientific names to things is not a tactic to obscure the truth- it clarifies it. I’m sorry, but there is nothing on earth that can convince me that a ball of perhaps 60 cells is a human being…..up until a certain point, an earthworm quite genuinely has greater sentience than a developing zygote. Apportioning greater value to that ball of cells ‘right to life’ over the wellbeing and quality of life of the woman carrying it is at best narrow-mindedly moralistic and at worst terrifyingly draconian.
Imago, funny how you invoke science in one breath (i.e. proper scientific names) and then reject it when it doesn’t serve your personal belief system. Whether or not you personally believe an embryo/fetus is a human being is beside the point. Just like it doesn’t matter whether you believe the earth is a sphere or not.
Science, with good reason, teaches that an embryo/fetus is a human being. Read any embryology text book for a detailed explanation as to why that is (only if your interested of course). I think what you really mean to say (and correct me if I’m wrong), is that not all human beings have the same value, i.e. human beings at that point of development, because they don’t have certain traits (i.e. sentience), carry less value than humans that do have those characteristics.
Long story short, you don’t need to deny established scientific truths (which takes away from your credibility by the way) in order to defend the morality of abortion.
um…no……I specifically said a zygote, not foetus. a ball of undifferentiated cells does not a human being make. A certain proportion will turn in to foetuses, which are, I agree, humans, but at the point of being cells without even a bilateral axis (something that develops in even the most primitive vertebrates at an early stage), they are merely that- cells.
This is a case in point for the value of specific and correct terms when discussing issues. What exactly do you mean by ‘established scientific truths’ exactly? You offer no specific ‘science’ to make your argument, just illogical statements. ‘Science’ shows that yes, at point of conception a fertilised egg has the genetic potential to become a human, but it is not, in any sense of the word, actually and ‘organism’, in the sense that it is not an operational being in any way. It is potential only, and valuing that potential over the well being of a living, breathing, fully formed woman who may die as a result of carrying that ball of cells to full term, as happened recently in Ireland, is just plain barbaric. Reading some kind of bigoted meritocracy into what I said was entirely your doing.
Imago, every Human Embryology textbook, and every human embryologist, asserts that “human life” begins at fertilization (formation of the zygote), and not that it has some illusory ‘genetic potential’. This has been established for well over 100 years, and has never been disputed.
Here are some quotes from embryology textbooks that confirm what I’m saying: http://www.princeton.edu/~prolife/articles/embryoquotes2.html
Embryologists are the scientific experts on this subject — do you dispute that? Is there some other branch of science that you think is better equipped to answer the questions we are asking? You seem to have your own made-up definition of what it means to be a human. What branch of science are you basing your definition on?
Your last few sentences are very confusing. You say ” It is potential only, and valuing that potential over the well being of a living, breathing, fully formed woman who may die as a result of carrying that ball of cells to full term, as happened recently in Ireland, is just plain barbaric.” The recent case in Ireland surrounds a fetus, and not a zygote. You seem to have conceded earlier that a fetus is a human and not a “potential life”. Can you see why I’m confused? As an aside, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence to date that shows that killing the fetus in that case would have saved the life of the mother. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your narrative.
If you do believe that fetus’ are humans (please correct me if you really don’t), then do you believe those humans have the same value as humans at other stages of development? If you don’t, then I’m not reading any kind of meritocracy into your statements, your statements do that all by themselves.
Hi Imago,
I’m curious (always have been about this, and can’t seem to get an answer…) at what point — scientifically — does the zygote or embryo become human, and not just potential to be human?
And second, could it be that really, what we’re saying when we say that no could 60 cells possibly be human life, what we really mean is… it isn’t a human life that we can recognize as worth saving? and aren’t those two very different statements?
I mean… a one-day-old newborn is probaby a whole lot less capable than a dog, less attached to her caretakers, less able to find food, fend for herself, hell even regulate her own body temperature or protect herself with her own immune system… yet we don’t think a dog more worthy of protection than a newborn (I hope.) Why? What makes an infant worth protecting? And why doesn’t this apply to a zygote, who is less sentient than a slug?
Peace.
That’s not what happened in Ireland. The coroner’s report has just been released, and she basically died from medical malpractice. A blood test revealed that she had the worst case of E.coli infection that experts on the inquest has ever seen, yet doctors somehow missed signs of this infection at the time.
The bacteria she had was called E.coli ESBL; it is extremely resistant to antibiotics and has a fatality rate of up to 60%.
Abortion on *medical* grounds (to save the mother’s life) does happen in Ireland. In fact, Dr Sam Coulter Smith, who is head of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, said that he had terminated *four* pregnancies in 2012 when women had been diagnosed with sepsis. If this were actually illegal, he would have been arrested long ago, and he hasn’t.
The sad reality is that medical mistakes happen in hospitals all over the world on a daily basis. In fact, I would venture that most of us on this site have been victims of medical incompetency at some stage in our lives. The doctor needs to be sanctioned; that is what needs to happen.
Also sure I’d challenge you to find 100 high quality studies to support smoking preventing lung cancer. Find me 100 studies with N> 200, p-values showing significant findings, quality research methods, minimal bias etc… and I’ll eat my words. Or just start using higher quality sources to validate your post. I have a masters and years of experience in knowing how to appropriately read and write scientific articles. Your sources are loaded w/ huge red flags. They are piss poor studies and therefore discredit your arguments. I hope your readers are savvy enough to know this.
I wasn’t talking about high-quality studies regarding smoking and lung cancer, but just how things can be manipulated and referenced and supported. You could easily do epidemiological data showing such a connection, as countries with the highest rates of smoking don’t have the highest rates of lung cancer. In the U.S., smoking has decreased while lung cancer continues to go up. I mean that kind of “support” and those kind of “references.”
I am very untrustworthy of studies and their conclusions, well-controlled or not.
For example, you could design a perfect study showing that reducing calorie intake causes weight loss, lowered blood sugar, lowered blood pressure, lowered triglycerides, lowered inflammation, etc. But that’s only a temporary effect. If you look at a longer term, you see the exact opposite. So one great study could show one thing and another longer study could show the mirrored opposite. Most people read through information and see what they want to see to prove a point they are already trying to make.
I appreciate that you used the ol’ I have a master’s degree and those studies are piss poor crutch though. Funny.
Not a crutch. Your cited sources were terrible. Regarding your statement about most people reading through studies to find support for their biased opinion… I certainly hope that you and I hold ourselves to higher standards. I hope that we are actually intelligent and mindful enough to carefully, objectively read through studies to determine strengths and weaknesses, long term vs short term results, generalizability, internal and external threats to validity etc… I have been a researcher for many years- writing studies, IRB applications, monitoring and evaluating them and publishing them. My qualifier is in response to your qualifier. 50,000 posts is impressive Matt and I do honor the work you’ve been doing when it comes to metabolism and I often enjoy reading your take on health and diet. However, this is my area of expertise and I was horrified at your misinformation- from basic science, to misinterpretation of weak studies, to sweeping generalizations based on some anecdotal assumptions. Tell me are those 50,000 posts all related to reproductive health? Are you considering yourself an expert in all systems of the body now? A brain surgeon would not pretend to know for a second how to best manage ascites, just as a GI doctor would not attempt brain surgery. I have devoted 20 years of my life thus far to understanding everything I can about reproductive health and contraception- the good the bad the everything. This article was so chalk full of false information that it left me and my fellow colleagues, whom I shared it with, in total disbelief.
Kelsey, I hear what you’re saying and appreciate hearing all viewpoints, but at the same time, I really feel like doctors and science failed me in terms of the birth control pill. I was put on at 17 (for bad menstrual cramps) with not one word about side effects and long-term consequences. Yeah I guess I should have read more, but I actually did read the package inserts and they did not make it clear. (I’m not sure if they knew about the blood clot and breast cancer risks back then in the mid-nineties). And I sure was not aware of the personality changes that occurred – until I came off. This still is not talked about anywhere in the literature – but you sure hear about it anecdotally when you talk to women. Most of us feel it.
Coming off the pill a couple of years ago I went through sheer hell that I am still recovering from. I think the pill really screwed up my health. Had it not been for homeopathy (which doctors often like to deny, although there actually are some good studies that prove its efficacy), I would be in much worse shape than I am now. And you could say I’m a rare case but I have a LOT of friends who went through really similar stuff. I have one friend who now has to be on metformin because her cycles got so screwed up from seasonale. And the only way I really knew what was going on was by reading anecdotal stuff on internet forums and things of people going through exactly what I was going through. My ob-gyn was utterly useless, and her only answer was to go back on the pill. There don’t seem to be studies conducted that look at the effects of coming off the pill. Or any studies on any ways to mitigate the effects. Or studies on what being on the pill will do to our babies one day. All of this is totally lacking.
And it would be really great if doctors were as concerned about the long-term health effects of these things as they are about preventing pregnancy. When you gave the 14 year-old the IUD, did you go through all the side effects? Risks? When you put girls on the pill, do you tell them about the personality changes that could occur, about the absolute hormonal upheaval that can occur when they stop taking it, that they may never recover from that upheaval? Because they should be aware of all of this.
The Real Amy,
Yes we did discuss all the possible risks and benefits to both the girl and her mother. And yes a consent form was signed detailing all these possible risks before the procedure. I also do discuss various risks and benefits of pills, as I do all types of birth control methods, and yes this does include mood changes. Absolutely, I’d be a crapy provider if I didn’t discuss the possible good and bad outcomes. I’ve worked with many GYNs and NPs who also do a great job counseling. I am sorry your experience has been less supportive.
There is one point to add here- the risk of putting someone on the pill early on due to dysmenorrhea, or other irregularities is that this can be a form of treatment w/o identifying the diagnosis first. This means that an underlying issue might be covered up by the use of hormonals, and therefore when a woman comes off her method that underlying issue might creep back up again. Therefore, it’s advisable to always identify the underlying issue first rather than just slapping on a hormonal. A good provider will work with women and girls very closely identifying individual potential risk factors and possible underlying conditions before providing birth control.
I’m glad to hear that. I think you may be the rare practitioner, but I sure wish all doctors did all of this. I think many think of hormonals as “the fix.”
I have extensively and scientifically researched and practised my withdrawal methods, also called Fireman’s Hose, on many, many female subjects.
It proved to be 100% safe and if widely used, would guarantee the extinction of the human race. It is workable regardless of the female’s menstrual cycle, like or dislike of sperm, and any STDs she might have. Although safety goggles are recommended.
My gyno tried to get me to take birth control when i was 18 ish to help control my acne and heavy painful periods. i denied it but then I took birth control when I was 21 and still had acne but wanted to have sex. the gyno had given it to me in free 6 month sample boxes. and after a few weeks I could not sleep because of painful leg cramps. I went to my gp and he sent me to the hospital immediately for ultrasound on blood clots. They didn’t find any but I now have irreversible calf damage. My calves look like old lady spider vein legs now. Even though I stopped birth control. My gyno forgot to ask about my family history which includes my father, aunt, and grandmother suffering multiple blood clots. Also test positive for mthfr and factor v.
Now when I go for my yearly exam the gyno tries to put me on a free birth control program for testing non hormonal pills or copper iuds. I said no like a million times and she still tries to convince me to do it. Only use condoms now. Seems to work, but not sure what to do if one breaks as I can’t take morning after pill…nor would I want to.
I hate starting a new work or living environment with women on birth control as my cycle drastically swings towards whatever their cycles land on. Even if it is 2 weeks different from mine. Pretty annoying and can end up in an embarrassing situation.
TCOYF should be required reading for everyone, whatever your reproductive goals.
facial pic at the beginning made me think of Justin Timberlake dry hump scene in “Bad Teacher”. Cracked me up.
Classic. I saw that movie. Hilarious.
So, we’ve accepted that junk food full of all kinds of shit is a-ok, but scary ARTIFICIAL HORMONES that might help you control or organize your life better- hell no.
As someone who has had a) an unplanned pregnancy and b) genital warts (which had a wicked long incubation time, it was 6 months before they appeared)… this post really leaves me scratching my head.
Junk food is not A-okay, it just happens to be a necessary evil to recover from an eating disorder, and the harms of eating it have to be weighed against the benefits as well as the other emotional aspects of abstaining from food you really want.
As far as hormonal methods, there are other methods like the copper IUD that are probably vastly superior to hormonal birth control both in terms of side effects and in terms of effectiveness.
You are becoming quite disingenuous. You constantly talk about the junk food you are eating and getting your girlfriend’s kid to eat- I am assuming she never had an eating disorder.
The pill served my needs during my 20’s. Like you said, it’s risk assessment. Any side effects I might have had (and I didn’t have any, unless you consider clear, glowing skin a side effect) would definitely outweigh the chance of becoming pregnant.
I use a non-hormonal copper IUD. It’s super-fantastic, I don’t feel a thing, and can have as much sex with my boyfriend as I want with NO worries. The only drawback was – the insertion. I have a teeny tiny cervix that doesn’t like to be dilated by force, so my midwife actually had to give me a pill that induces labor – wait a few hours – then dilate me with an insemination needle before getting to the larger sized tubes that stick the IUD in. It was a pretty bad day overall – but well worth it in the long-term. I recommend going to a homeopathic midwifery to get this installed… the ladies there will treat you better than the gynos at a regular hospital. Plus, these midwives have probably “installed” more of these bad-boys anyways, since their clientele is seeking natural remedies to ‘the sperm problem’. But yeah – birth control pills suck all around!
I have read all the comments here and my question for all the people advocating birth control: What about the long term effects, not just on the women using it, but also on the population in general? Is it still active when it is execreted and gets into the water supply?
Yes, the synthetic hormones are still active and are having a tremendous environmental impact. http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/what-the-pill-is-doing-to-our-water-supply/ Many of the documented impacts are in reproductive deformities in amphibians. Excess hormones in the environment is considered an endocrine disruptor and is known to lead to sterility in mammals. It is sad that even on Earth Day, no one else brought up this issue.
oops, that should read “advocating bith control hormones”
We conceived our youngest child using the withdrawal method. But it’s still the only method we’ll ever use. Considering how many times we’ve used it, but only managed to get pregnant once, I think it’s been pretty good for us. While I prefer not to get pregnant right now, I wouldn’t die if I did. If that was the case, I’d be practicing abstinence, and have done so for various vulnerable periods.
Conception happened because yes, my husband pulled out too late. The only time he’s done so. We were tired, I was sick, we had just been fighting, about to leave each other (after 10 years of marriage), first time having sex in 5 months etc etc. But we’re happy, we love our son obviously. I think it takes a very committed relationship to rely on this method. I used pills for a year or two and will never go back to that. Used condoms, and it’s like ‘why even bother with sex?’. Family planning seems like a pain in the neck, but really, I tend not to be very interested in having sex when I’m infertile.
Yes, condoms suck. Might as well stick my d*** out the window and f*** the world, which I do on occasion anyway.
One issue with birth control that has not been mentioned so far is the use of spermicide. Initially spermicide was recommended to prevent HIV, then studies found that it actually INCREASED transmission. Further research documented that is caused microscopic tears in the vaginal walls. So the previous comments about improving overall health to prevent std transmission have merit, although I wouldn’t bet my life on it. Still, this is an excellent example of a medical disaster that could have been averted using the precautionary principle.
One of the craziest health trends in recent years is the rise of STIs in the elderly, as they are not concerned about pregnancy and viagra has changed the playing field. I have read that there is so much competition to land an older man, that women don’t want to make a fuss and no one wears rubbers. Pretty sad if you ask me.
I’m curious if there is any anti-vasectomy data or even general info out there? My husband feels like vasectomy is our only birth control option. We are in our 30s, have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. I won’t go on the pill or use an IUD; he respects that 100%. Since my cycles resumed recently, my husband is so freaked out by the idea of a third pregnancy, he won’t have sex with me at all. Serious bummer. I know how to track my cycles, but they are irregular now as I am still nursing my son a few times a day.
My husband has a consultation with a urologist tomorrow, but I have reservations that I am having trouble articulating to him. I don’t want more kids. I am worried there may be psychological or even hormonal consequences to vasectomy that are not well publicized or that a doctor may not discuss. We have no friends who’ve gone through this, so it feels really hard to get even any anecdotal information. Any insights would be so greatly appreciated.
BTW, first time poster, long time reader and fan.
There are hormonal consequences, apparently, although I don’t know the specifics and haven’t done any real studying. I think I’ve heard stuff like decreased testosterone, some aging factors, etc.
Any time you interfere with the body’s fertility there are effects. There are definitely effects of tube-tying in women, and that’s a somewhat equivalent procedure. I would do some google searches. I would not expect to hear the truth about negative impacts from the doctor who will make money off the procedure.
FAM can be used with irregular cycles. Check out TCOYF.
Hey meg,
I included this link above: http://www.vasectomypain.org/ Estimates vary between 3 and 30%, but some percentage of men do experience long term pain post vasectomy.
I’m not sure what the hormonal effects would be, but anecdotes do exist that it impacts libido and attraction, including the attraction a wife feels for her husband. Whether we rationally desire kids or not, it would seem that for some couples, the fact of shooting blanks undermines the sexual response. It’s possible that that’s what you’re having trouble articulating, some inchoate sense of that psychological fallout to his looming infertility.
I personally would not consider a vasectomy, because the long term negatives are not well enough established for me to feel comfortable consenting. As unfun as they are, I’d rather a life of condoms (coupled with fertility awareness) to going under the knife. I don’t have experience with them, but some friends swear by lambskin condoms for enhanced sensitivity compared to latex. And when disease isn’t a concern, that could be a better option.
Also mentioned above are copper IUDs. There are pros and cons there as well, but the non-hormonal contraception they provide could be a viable option for you if you haven’t already considered it.
Thanks Rob. We explored this site and the few others we could find last night. My husband decided to skip the urologist this morning and re-consider 15 or so more years of occasional condom use instead :)
Hey! What a fun article. I’m a certified Fertility Awareness Educator, so if anyone is looking for a teacher, let me know! It’s a great practice, although it does take a certain amount of time and commitment, but it’s totally worth it. Much love!
My website is: http://www.lovelyfertility.com
Contact me with any questions: I’d love to answer them!
Matt,
Thanks for attempting to clean up some of your misinformation in your article. I appreciate it. You still have a long ways to go though:
#1
You state: “The ol? pullout method of course has to be executed properly to work, but when it is executed properly it’s about as effective as any other method.” You cited this fact from an article that states nothing even remotely close to that. The closest I could find w/in your source article is the following: “In typical use, when used consistently and correctly, coitus interruptus and condoms have an 18 and 17 percent failure rate, respectively.” That being said, Contraceptive Technology, Guttmacher, the CDC all state failure rates above 20% for withdrawal. In comparision IUDs are just a 0.4% failure rate, Vasectomy at 0.15%, Pills at 8%, and the ring at 8%.
Please do not state that “the pull out method is about as affective as any other method” because this is FALSE.
What that article says, that I completely agree with, and you could feel confident adding to your article is “Although withdrawal may not be as effective as some contraceptive methods, it is substantially more effective than nothing.”
#2
Your “improvement” to your pre-cum sentence cracks me up. “Pre-cum may have little or no sperm in it, or if it does it’s in small amounts and the motility appears to be poor enough where it’s not very viable.” Haha- love the tip toe action here. Also cracks me up that you are still using the HIV study of 25 people that suggests condom use from start to finish to support this statement.
#3
Matt I would love to witness a conversation with you and some of my colleagues in which you state “Anything good that you’ve heard about it (estrogen) is probably being mistaken for progesterone, as doctors have been thoroughly confused about what these ?female? hormones do.” So many of my colleagues and past professors have amazing in-depth knowledge and a lifetime of experience understanding these hormones and the intricacies of cells at this mind boggling intense level, that it makes me laugh out loud to think that oops they’ve just gone and mixed up estrogen w/ progesterone again! Silly them! Similar to pastry chef mixing up salt w/ sugar, cause they are both white so they must do the same thing right?
#4
Your statement “For others, the best might be one that works very well and doesn’t make you depressed, fat, covered in acne, dead from a blood clot, and diabetic with no sex drive.” Needs to be clarified a bit more. Yes I agree, it’s very important for your readers to know that there are possible side effects of hormonal birth control methods that women may or may not experience. But it’s also important that readers know the relative low risk of these side effects. Let’s put this in perspective: The risk of a woman developing a blood clot on pills is 9 per 10,000 women-years.
Let’s look at this a different way: Compared to a non-pregnant, non-hormonal using woman: Women using birth control pills are at 2 to 3 times the risk of developing a blood clot; however a pregnant woman is at 20 times the risk of developing a blood clot and a post-partum woman is at 65 times the risk of developing a blood clot.
I don’t have time to look up the rates of increased risk comparisons for the other side effects you stated Matt; however based on similar physiologic changes I believe that most likely the same holds true for DM, depression etc…
For those who want a good resource I highly recommend Guttmacher, or Hatcher as well.
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_contr_use.html
Finally, I’ll end with this fun fact and then I am signing off for good as this has been way too much of a time suck for me. The number one form of birth control female OB/GYNs use for themselves is…. drum roll…..IUDs!!! Because yes IUDs are the most effective, reversible, w/ the fewest side effects form of birth control we have. In the US there are 3 types on the market- check them out.
Wishing you all happy, healthy, worry free sex!
Kelsey, here are real FACTS. This is a health website. Why would Matt want to promote pills that would give women HEALTH problems? Lets go down the list of birth control health problems. 1. Breast cancer, 2. Liver tumors, 3. Stoke, 4. Heart attack, 5. Not being able to have children after stopping the pill, should I continue? You and your colleagues have been brainwashed into believing that health doesn’t matter, as long as they don’t get pregnant. Not to mention I haven’t read one comment of yours that actually holds any merit. The fact that the majority of gynos use an IUD doesn’t mean anything. Do you use the toothbrush that is highly recommended by a dentist? This isn’t much more than a late-night infomercial tactic – “3 out of 5 doctors recommend…” You also have to mention the negative effects. It’s called liability so they can’t come after you when their body reacts. Which that should never happen, according to what you also said. Summarize: The are put on birth control that they are supposed to handle. Well what about the women who have suffered so much and had serious effects? Is it that their doctors don’t know what there doing? I got pregnant on yasmin. Yet now after 8 yrs of doing withdrawal, not 1 time. I also have a friend who has a huge blood clot, thanks to birth control. You don’t care, as long as she didn’t get pregnant. That’s the difference between you and Matt. He cares about individuals and you just turn your back and wanna talk stats. What about low grade malaise for which there are no statistics for? What about all the unknowns of hormones and IUD’s that haven’t surfaced or been traced back to their use? Here, we are skeptical of various forms of birth control being handed out like candy with the risks downplayed because we’ve heard the story too many times. Almost every miracle health invention of the last 100 years turned out to be quite harmful and misguided on many fronts. You are WAY too quick to swallow all that mainstream Kool-Aid.
I just wanted to say, I find this article really very charming (honestly.)
I have never used hormonal BC even before I understood the health issues with hormones, b/c it seemed so very sexist to say that women’s bodies are in need of medication to function properly, to allow us to participate in the public sphere on terms with man, etc. And so misogynistic ? whether intentional or not ? for men to want women to be fertility-free. Now, knowing the serious health risks just compounds this.
So when I hear men say that they?d rather have bad pizza sex than have the woman they love deal with the health issues of medically-induced infertility, yes, I find that very sweet and sexy.
(When I did have sex before marriage (Catholic so I don’t technically believe in that but let’s just say it was PLENTY of weak moments to count as an anecdote) we used the pull out method + abstinence during fertile times before getting married. No babies, and I’m very fertile.)
Cheers : )
(Also Kelsey you are annoying.)
Yeah, Kelsey is annoying, with all due respect. What is it about open discussion of downsides of hormonal birth control that riles (some) women up? It signifies a step backward for feminists, maybe, and the loss of *freedom* and loss of reproductive control. Imagine having to select a partner based on willingness to pull-out, or use a condom. Someone with consideration of you, and *literally* impulse control. Well, goodbye drunken hook-ups, huh? Talk about crampin’ my style…
Next we’ll be back to courting rituals, dowries, seeking parental approval, ballroom dancing…. I’ve been in a serious regency romance reading binge, and this post lines right up with that.
Uh.
I, for one, have very much appreciated Kelsey’s input.
For the most part, I appreciated her contribution as well. Although point #3 in the last bit of writing, showed a great deal of ignorance to the readership here: “So many of my colleagues and past professors have amazing in-depth knowledge and a lifetime of experience understanding these hormones and the intricacies of cells at this mind boggling intense level,…” As someone whose health was destroyed by well-meaning, highly trained doctors, I found this tirade to be both arrogant and offensive. It must be nice to have never experienced the horrific failings of the medical industry, unfortunately I no longer have that luxury.
As have I.
This thread is old now so maybe no one will see this, but I forgot to mention earlier that the pill can change who you are attracted to, which later causes issues in marriage when the woman goes off the pill and is no longer attracted to her husband. Sounds crazy, but it’s true, and reported in mainstream media. Here is a WSJ article on it from last year:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576313243579677316.html
I’m quite certain doctors are not warning their patients about this, and it is potentially life-devastating for people (most of all the husband who is later left through no fault of his own).
I will also say that when I came off the pill I noticed I became much more attractive to men in general. They sense fertility.
Yeah, I don’t anyone mentioned that, but that’s a big deal. Seems like the only way around it if you’re already married is to stay on the pill forever, except when pregnant I guess, lest you risk undermining your relationship. How’s that for an (unforeseen) incentive to stay on the pill forever.
All I have to say is thank god I’m a lesbian…….whew!
atta girl.
we have been using the toni weschler method of fam (tcoyf.com) since our late thirties. we ran it with condoms from day 5 until post-ov and no contraception post-ov. (a very stringent way of running it) for many years.
I must admit, we are getting older: 49. last year, we read the study about pre-cum not having sperm and we have been using withdrawal for pre-ov since then.
even though i’m older, i still cycle like a teen. we were very fertile together back when we wanted babies. these methods have worked for us. no preg, no surgery, no chemicals, and added benefits of being able to “trouble shoot” my cycle. i always know where i stand.
so far, so good!
the comments attached to this article made me ponder some things. here is what i’d like to express.
boys and girls… this is how babies are made.
if you can’t stand the 2-4% chance (or whatever it is) of withdrawal, maybe you shouldn’t be doin’ the “baby dance”. if you wouldn’t want to co-parent with someone, then you shouldn’t be sexin’ them.
11 minutes of fun, 18 years of the hardest job you will ever love. more people in your life to love. what exactly, in your life, is that important anyways? and that is the biggest reason to NEVER relinquish your fertility. you may miss it once it is gone.
look at all the sad faces around the room. aw, it ain’t so bad! we have menopause to look forward to! :)
I just wanted to pipe in here. I happened to find this post while searching the internet. I’ve been pregnant 4 times in my life, 2 children and 2 early miscarriages. I was actively trying to conceive during those times and got pregnant quickly usually within the first month! After my 2nd child was born,we decided not to have more children. We have been using the withdrawal method for 12 years with complete 100% success. My husband pulls out with PLENTY of time. There is no “just a couple more strokes” and last minute pull outs. No issues for us. I refuse to go on hormonal birth control because of the side effects and I have considered the copper IUD but the longer periods, cramps, and chances of ovarian cysts have turned me off completely. We will keep using the withdrawal method. And yes, he urinates between ejaculations! :-)
Thanks Misty!