What birth control do you use?

[Moonrise Lu]

I have an Implanon (contraceptive implant - lasts three years).

Some Christians will not use them because, for some women, an Implanon does not suppress ovulation and so it can work by preventing implantation of a fertilised ovum. For me, I am very sensitive to hormonal contraceptives and it does suppress ovulation, so I feel able to use it without feeling that I am at high risk of that being the result.

Have you had this discussion with your fiance yet?

We have discussed it a little. He wants to use both condoms and another form of birth control, to be extra safe. He didn't like the idea of hormonal cause he thinks it messes up your body too much and might make it more difficult to have kids. But that pretty much seems to be the case for anything but condoms and NFP. I had considered the copper IUD but then i saw that it sometimes stops the fertilized egg from implanting and the debate if that's okay or not, but maybe it would be fine using that with condoms?

Also can I ask how you know you are not ovulating on the Implanon? Does your doctor tell you or do you have to monitor? I dunno how that works lol

If you're considering an IUD, I will also add that for women who have not had a child, having an IUD placed can be painful. For some women it's not painful at all, and for others it's kind of bad. The people who I know got one said they just took a couple Motrin beforehand and it was okay, just mild cramping. Not sure how helpful anecdotal info is, but wanted to share that.

I had wondered about that >.> Thanks for the warning. I don't really wanna take the pill since it needs to be at the same time every single day. I am sometimes forgetful, as well as having random work schedules generally, and trouble sleeping which causes me to wake up later some days. I was hoping for something that needs to be done less often. Also thanks for the book suggestion!

 

[Poppyseed78]

We have discussed it a little. He wants to use both condoms and another form of birth control, to be extra safe. He didn't like the idea of hormonal cause he thinks it messes up your body too much and might make it more difficult to have kids. But that pretty much seems to be the case for anything but condoms and NFP. I had considered the copper IUD but then i saw that it sometimes stops the fertilized egg from implanting and the debate if that's okay or not, but maybe it would be fine using that with condoms?

Also can I ask how you know you are not ovulating on the Implanon? Does your doctor tell you or do you have to monitor? I dunno how that works lol



I had wondered about that >.> Thanks for the warning. I don't really wanna take the pill since it needs to be at the same time every single day. I am sometimes forgetful, as well as having random work schedules generally, and trouble sleeping which causes me to wake up later some days. I was hoping for something that needs to be done less often. Also thanks for the book suggestion!

It's very rare, but a woman can still get pregnant while using the Paraguard (copper IUD). In such cases, there is a high risk of miscarriage. However, there are lots of people who are very happy with their IUD and had no complications.

Many woman use hormonal birth control and have no problems getting pregnant later, they just have to wait a few months for their body to re-regulate. There are side effects, though. One of the reasons I started researching NFP was to avoid the side effects of hormonal birth control.

 

[faroukfarouk]

It's very rare, but a woman can still get pregnant while using the Paraguard (copper IUD).

Also - anecdotally - an IUD can damage the system, even though the manufacturer is unlikely to advertise the fact. We had the bc talk, although IUS wasn't one of the options.

 

[Poppyseed78]

Also - anecdotally - an IUD can damage the system, even though the manufacturer is unlikely to advertise the fact. We had the bc talk, although IUS wasn't one of the options.

That's true. Very rarely, it's possible for it to become embedded and even perforate the uterus.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I think if used correctly, they work 97% of the time, but user error actually makes it lower than that.

Reasonable observation.

 

[faroukfarouk]

That's true. Very rarely, it's possible for it to become embedded and even perforate the uterus.

It definitely does happen sometimes, anyway; so the risk is from more than one aspect.

 

[Paidiske]

Also can I ask how you know you are not ovulating on the Implanon? Does your doctor tell you or do you have to monitor? I dunno how that works lol

I have no cycle at all on the Implanon (which I consider a bonus!) But when I did have a cycle, I always knew when I was ovulating because I had significant ovulation pain. If you don't have that, you might have to track more subtle changes in your cycle to know.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have no cycle at all on the Implanon (which I consider a bonus!) But when I did have a cycle, I always knew when I was ovulating because I had significant ovulation pain. If you don't have that, you might have to track more subtle changes in your cycle to know.

Hormones are certainly an issue. I wonder if you think NFP is indeed viable?

 

[Paidiske]

Hormones are certainly an issue. I wonder if you think NFP is indeed viable?

I'd never be willing to trust it, myself.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I'd never be willing to trust it, myself.

So at least one person taking something or wearing something would in your view be more or less essential?

It's interesting because in the 19th century artificial family planning methods were regarded as one of the 'causes' of atheists, whereas today many professing Christians will ingest or wear FP tools and regard it as a moderate and responsible course of action.

 

[Paidiske]

It's like the old line says, farouk. What do you call someone who uses NFP? A parent.

Not entirely true in every case, of course, but true enough that I don't see it as reliable.

My perspective on contraception is that a married couple should be open to children, but that there is nothing wrong with them making decisions about the timing and spacing of those children, and managing those decisions as they see fit. (I'm not talking here about abortion but about preventing conception).

 

[faroukfarouk]

It's like the old line says, farouk. What do you call someone who uses NFP? A parent.

Not entirely true in every case, of course, but true enough that I don't see it as reliable.

My perspective on contraception is that a married couple should be open to children, but that there is nothing wrong with them making decisions about the timing and spacing of those children, and managing those decisions as they see fit. (I'm not talking here about abortion but about preventing conception).

Yes, thanks; and this is the view that a lot of ppl take also.

I know what you mean about NFP! I guess it could be said as well that nothing is 100% effective: even devices that ppl wear have microscopic holes, etc.

 

[faroukfarouk]

He wants to use both condoms and another form of birth control, to be extra safe.

I don't know how widespread this is (perhaps someone else would know better); I was under the impression that those who wear them often don't use anything else as well.

 

[Paidiske]

I don't know how widespread this is (perhaps someone else would know better); I was under the impression that those who wear them often don't use anything else as well.

Anecdotally, from my conversations with other women, many couples use more than one method of contraception at the same time.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Anecdotally, from my conversations with other women, many couples use more than one method of contraception at the same time.

Well, okay; so both wearing and ingesting to make doubly sure, then.

(Even though there is no such thing as 100% sure, right?)

 

[Paidiske]

The only way you can be absolutely sure is to abstain. But for most couples that is problematic!

 

[faroukfarouk]

Anecdotally, from my conversations with other women, many couples use more than one method of contraception at the same time.

PS: I do wonder if it's usually more the woman rather than the man who pressures most for more than one method to be used simultaneously. Because it's the woman who has to carry the child.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have an Implanon (contraceptive implant - lasts three years).

3 years is a lot of commitment, anyway.

I think that scientifically the proportion of implantations that occur but do not proceed is far larger than the ones that actually fertilize into a fetus.

 

[dayhiker]

We used condoms as my wife didn't like taking pills of any kind. In several years we only had one break. There was no unexpected pregnancies.
Once we had our two kids we wanted I got fixed ... very good decision.

 

[faroukfarouk]

We used condoms as my wife didn't like taking pills of any kind.

Well, this is certainly a very widespread option that ppl prefer when side effects from hormones etc are particularly undesirable.