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What are some NON-HORMONAL methods of birth control that can be used along with male latex condoms?
I'm on a hormonal birth control now, which I'm not liking too much (been on a few different pills over the past three years). I need something that's still has a pretty good efficacy rate in case something goes wrong with the condom.
19/F (link)
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There are not as many non-hormonal birth control methods as you'd think, really. There are some though:
The sponge ("The Today Sponge") - Basically just what it says. It's a small sponge-like thing that is filled with spermicidal gel. You insert it into the vagina and during intercourse the male will ejaculate onto it. The sperm will land onto the sperm and mostly die from the spermicidal gel within it. It's about 84% effective in the real-world. You can put this into your vagina up to 24 hours before you have sex and still be protected.
Female condoms (not with male condoms) - A female condom is a polyurethane, tubular device that is placed within the vagina. A ring helps to hold it to the cervix and another stays at the opening of the vagina. This can be placed inside the vagina up to 8 hours before engaging in intercourse.
Diaphragm (not with male condoms despite what they may claim) - Diaphragms are a rubbery thing you place into your vagina and over your cervix. You fill the indent with spermicidal lubricant. The reason you cannot use this with a male condoms is that if your partner is lengthy the condom may cause friction against the diaphragm and tear. Can be put in up to 3 hours before intercourse but must be left in for 8 full hours after.
Cervical cap (not with male condoms) - It's basically a smaller version of the diaphragm. It requires less spermicidal lubricant and can be placed within the vagina for up to 6 hours before intercourse.
Lea's Shield (not with a male condom) - This is very similar to the cervical cap and diaphragm. It's made of silicon and suctions to the cervix to create a barrier. The way it is created it allows cervical mucus to come out of the vagina but nothing to come inside of the cervix. You place the spermicidal lubricant into the cup area. You wear it for up to 48 hours before intercourse if desired but must absolutely wear it for 8 hours after.
Spermicidal lubes/foams/films - These are basically toxic substances to sperm. Some condoms are "laced" with them. You can buy them in a variety form (lubricant, foam, film, and even gel). The sperm mostly die when they come in contact with it. It's best used with a condom and can increase a condom's effectiveness but is not the best method to use alone.
IUD - The user below is slightly wrong. An IUD did not just plug into your tubes and doctor's don't like to insert these into young women who have never had children because there is a chance of creating infertility. Some IUDs do release hormones also. An IUD is inserted into the bottom of the uterus where the cervix is. It looks like a "T" shape. When a woman gets pregnant and the sac fills with fluid the top parts of the "T" will burst the sac before the baby can continue to form and grow. Sad but true.
Fertility Awareness - This requires A LOT of maintenance and you REALLY have to know your stuff to pull this one off. Basically you track your cycles through charts, temperature, cervical positioning, and cervical mucus every single day. After 6 to 8 months you'll get a decent idea of exactly when you are ovulating. Since sperm can live within the human body for about 7 days on average you refrain from intercourse for 1 and 1/2 week before your predicted ovulation date and 1 week after your predicted ovulation date. It's trick. It's limiting. If you forget to do it one day then you pretty much need to start all over.
Pull-out - Believe or not, this is considered a form of "non-hormonal birth control" so I'll touch on it. Your partner pulls out of you right before he ejaculates. It isn't very effective in real life. While a full ejaculation can contain as many as 100 million sperm at a time, the sperm count within pre-ejaculate can be as many as a few million. It takes one to get your pregnant.
Tubal ligation - This is also referred to as getting your tubes tied. Most doctors would prefer to not do this with younger women, especially those who have not had children yet. They basically separate the fallopian tubes so that eggs cannot make their way down to the uterus for fertilization. This is considered to be a permanent operation. Believe it or not, this sort of "sterilization" is not even 100% effective either. There is about a 5% failure rate for the first 10 years after having it done. To me, that sounds like until you hit menopause for most women.
Essure Sterilization - Similar to tubal ligation in a sense. Rings are placed tightly onto the tubes. The woman's own flesh grows scar tissue around it so that the tubes are sealed shut, disallowing any sperm or egg from ever meeting. It is also not 100% effective, of course, and is not reversible.
There are also the vasectomy (male sterilization) methods and a full hysterectomy (which a doctor just won't do for no real cause). A vasectomy can be reversed in most cases but is not 100% effective on preventing pregnancies either. Speak with your doctor if you and your partner are interested.
The human body was meant to reproduce and that's what it really strives to do when engaging in sexual intercourse. It's what we are suppose to do. It's what the body wants to do. There is no 100% fool-proof method so research carefully before taking the plunge and changing things up. You should always--ALWAYS--be prepared for an "accident" to happen. It's a part of nature, being human, and life.
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Such a detailed answer. Thank you so much. Seems like the reason non hormonal methods aren't as popular is because they all seem like a huge hassle. I guess I'll be sticking to condoms, the pill, and the pull out method (all used together).
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