Birth control a friendly but risky alternative to condoms

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By Chris Shearman

Many sexually active couples swear by safe sex and birth control methods that aren’t necessarily the most effective at avoiding pregnancy. Some refuse to use condoms and instead rely on birth control pills, the withdrawal method or both. However, other options outside of condoms and the aforementioned methods are available but may not be the safest, practical or most effective option for couples who wish to avoid pregnancy.

Though the traditional condom has a low failure rate, some cannot afford a twelve pack of the latest and most effective prophylactic. Moreover, the opening and preparing of the condom can often be tedious and mood dampening, and for some people, the female condom is an even more unpleasant option – regardless if it can be cleaned and reused.

That being said, being sexually smart is no joke, and birth control pills can be an easy and effective way to prevent pregnancy, although there are some major risks with using the pill.

The regular once-a-day birth control pill, which is now used more and more frequently by females, seems unnatural and can even get costly if the user does not have insurance. Furthermore, some females end up having a period that only lasts a day or two, or they do not have one at all.

An alternative to birth control pills is the birth control shot, but even this method has its consequences. A prime example is the Depo-Provera birth control shot, which protects against pregnancy for 11-14 weeks. Also, with Depo-Provera there is a black box warning on the side that cautions the user of possible bone loss.

A second alternative to the pill is the birth control patch. The Ortho Evra birth control patch has a higher risk of blood clot than normal birth control because it exposes women to 60 percent more estrogen. Warnings like these make such alternatives risky compared to a correctly used condom.

A final alternative to condoms is the use of a vaginal ring like the NuvaRing. The ring is comfortably held in place by the vaginal muscles and can be left in during almost all activities, including sexual intercourse. Also, the user is able to take the vaginal ring out at the end of three weeks in order to have a normal menstruation period for up to seven days.

However, like other forms of birth control, the vaginal ring has its negative aspects, and although studies are still being conducted, known possible side effects include weight gain, mood changes and blood clots.

Although birth control can be a user-friendly alternative to condoms, it unfortunately does not protect against STDs. In fact, using birth control often gives many sexually active people a sense of security even though its use does not protect against STDs.

“In my group of friends, usually if a girl is on the pill, she is a lot less likely to make the guy put a condom on,” explained Jessica, a general studies sophomore at LSU.

Despite its lack of STD protection, birth control is often the ideal alternative to using condoms. Additionally, birth control has become more accessible and affordable to university students due to deals that many schools have with pharmaceutical companies.

In addition to surfing the Internet for more information on the aforementioned birth control methods, LSU’s Student Health Center offers gynecology education classes through its Women’s Center. According to the Student Health Center’s Web site, the classes provide interested students with information on everything from STDs to various methods of contraception.

With the choice to be sexually active comes the price of protecting oneself. If a condom does not suit the couple, then it is important to find the best alternative. Birth control can serve as an effective alternative to prevent pregnancy but is not the perfect alternative to using condoms to protect oneself from contracting an STD.

Originally Published: Issue 752 - January 28, 2009

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