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Triumph of Reason: Birth Control
by Groff Schroeder
| Childbirth can be a wonderful gift; but it can also be a deadly nightmare or an irrevocable tragedy. Environmental conditions, societal factors, illness, accident and personal hardship can make birth control a matter of life and death. |
Effective birth control relies upon a correct understanding of human reproduction. Between puberty and menopause, women's ovaries release an egg about once a month. During intercourse, males can release hundreds of million sperm, only one of which is required to fertilize an egg. When the sperm and egg fuse in the fallopian tube, they become a zygote, which imbeds in the uterine lining 5-7 days after intercourse, becoming a pregnancy. The zygote undergoes rapid cell division, becoming a morula, a blastula, a gastrula, an embryo, a fetus, and after birth about 9 months later, an infant. |
Preventing the fusion of the sperm and egg or preventing implantation prevents pregnancy. |
Effective methods of birth control first appeared at least 3550 years ago, [1] evidenced by a medical manuscript by Ebers Papyrus describing a vaginal sponge made by dipping seed wool in ground dates, acacia tree bark and honey - the fermentation of which releases lactic acid, a known spermicide. About 3000 years ago, linen sheaths helped Egyptians to prevent the spread of disease. [2] About 500 years ago, Gabrielle Fallopius performed the first known medical trials, indicating that linen condoms prevented the spread of Syphilis. Goodyear produced "vulcanized" rubber condoms in 1844. In 1914, American nurse Margaret Sanger faced imprisonment for mailing her magazine advocating birth control, [3] and latex condoms came into widespread use in the 1930s. |
Countless scientific studies show properly used latex condoms prevent the spread of sexually transmitted disease, are highly effective in preventing transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [4] and are an extremely effective form of birth control. |
Rhythm methods of birth control limit intercourse to immediately before, during and after menstruation when an egg is least likely to be available. Barrier methods like the male condom and the female diaphragm prevent the union of the sperm and egg. The pharmaceutical hormones estrogen and progestin mimic the biochemistry of pregnancy to prevent implantation - and the correct dose can prevent pregnancy up to three days after intercourse. [5] Tubal ligation in women and vasectomy in men physically prevents the delivery of egg and sperm. Unlike preventative methods, surgical abortion occurs after implantation, and physically removes ideally all tissues of the pregnancy from the woman's body. About 10 to 15% of pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. [6] |
Few methods are 100% effective. Even abstinence can fail as demonstrated by religious and historical examples of "virgin births." While effectiveness varies, scientific studies show that careful adherence to ideal use of preventative birth control methods prevents at least 90% of pregnancies. Simultaneous use of two methods is even more effective. In contrast, one study found that relying upon "luck" to prevent pregnancy, was only 15% effective. [7] |
The development of birth control stems from important environmental, medical, societal and human needs. Modern birth control methods employ a scientific understanding of human reproductive processes, and countless repeatable experiments demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing pregnancy and disease. Physiologically correct sex education and access to birth control can prevent most unwanted pregnancies, reducing the occurrence of surgical abortion - and condoms effectively prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. |
[1] http://desires.com/1.6/Sex/Museum/Docs/museum2.html, accessed December 3, 2003. [2] http://www.avert.org/condoms.htm, accessed December 3, 2003. [3] http://www.avert.org/condoms.htm, accessed December 3, 2003. [4] http://www.anb.org/articles/15/15-00598-article.html , accessed January 7, 2004. [5] http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/condoms.htm, accessed January 15, 2004. [6] http://www.emergencybirthcontrol.org/ , accessed January 7, 2004. [7] http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic6.htm, accessed January 7, 2004. |
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