Birth control is always a hot topic these days, and I thought you guys might like a little background information about the birth control patch, another method of contraception. Editor
Advantages of the Birth Control Patch
Many women are discovering the advantages of choosing the birth control patch as their method of
contraception.
What does the birth control patch look like?
The birth control patch is a thin square patch that is adhered to the skin, much like a band-aid. It’s left on for an entire week at which time the patch is replaced with a new one. When it is time to replace the birth control patch it’s placed in a different spot than the previous one. This is done for a period of three weeks. On the fourth week no patch is applied to the skin and the woman has her period.
How does it work?
Just as birth control pills contain hormones, the birth control patch does as well. The hormones are absorbed through the skin’s surface and into the blood stream. The purpose of the hormones is to regulate the reproductive system so that ovulation doesn’t occur.
Some women are a bit wary about trying the birth control patch because they are concerned that it might come off while they are bathing or swimming. The patch is actually designed to be worn full-time even during activities where the body is wet or exerted.
If the patch does happen to fall off it’s really important to refer to the literature that came with it. In it will be suggestions about what to do and also it will strongly suggest that another form of birth control be practiced in the interim.
Attention:
The birth control patch is not a method of treating or preventing sexually transmitted diseases. Its sole purpose is to reduce the risk of pregnancy. Therefore it’s still advisable for a couple to use a condom to prevent the spread of any illness.
Most forms of contraception that involve the use of hormones have side effects. The same is true with the birth control patch. Some of the side effects can include weight gain, spotting in between periods, headaches and nausea. Other side effects that have been attributed to the use of the birth control patch are difficulty wearing contact lenses and a small rash where the patch was applied. In any case of side effects if they become severe it’s important to check with your physician.
Although the birth control patch isn’t right for every woman it is an effective and safe form of contraception. When you do decide to talk to your doctor about birth control ask him or her what their opinion is on the birth control patch and from there you can make an informed decision about what is right for you.
Random excerpt from other pregnancy articles on this site (click the link to read the full article):
Birth Control info on Yahoo:
Abortion, birth control grab political spotlightPolitical turmoil over abortion and birth control spread suddenly on Tuesday. A high-ranking official resigned from the Komen breast-cancer charity after its backtracking treaty with Planned Parenthood, and Republican presidential candidates blistered the Obama administration for a recent ruling on Catholic hospitals and contraception.
Birth-control tensions easeArchbishop Timothy Dolan is grabbing the olive branch the Obama administration extended on birth control, saying he’s happy to offer the feds a “graceful exit” from the election-year uproar.
GOP vows to reverse Obama birth control policyRepublicans vowed Wednesday to reverse President Barack Obama's new policy on birth control, lambasting the rule that religious schools and hospitals must provide contraceptive coverage for their employees as an "unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country."
Obama risks Catholic vote with birth-control mandate(Reuters) - Dr. Joe Casillas, an obstetrician in Southern California, routinely prescribes birth control for his patients. Though he's a practicing Catholic, he doesn't follow his church's stern warning that contraception is a sin. He believes women should have access. Yet Casillas was dismayed when the Obama administration recently ruled that religious institutions had to follow the same rules ...
Boehner vows Congress will reverse Obama birth control policyCongress this week plunged into fray over new Obama administration rules that will require religious employers to offer birth control in their health-insurance programs, even if contraception runs afoul of their religious doctrines.
Birth control, abortion issues flareA national political firestorm over abortion and birth control spread suddenly Tuesday, including in El Paso where most residents are Catholic.
Birth control fights return to campaigns, with Jews in key postsBirth control is rapidly gaining steam as an election-year wedge issue, with Jewish advocates lobbying out front and behind the scenes in what is shaping up as a clash between calls for individual freedom and religious liberty.
Birth-control fight unlikely to hurt Obama, his strategists sayDemocratic strategists think that most U.S. Catholic women believe birth control should be available and that people who oppose Obama because of a new rule for employers would not vote for him anyway. Even as angry Catholic leaders vow to fight a new federal requirement that most employers include contraceptives in their health insurance coverage, the Obama administration believes any political ...
Little late for birth-control debateSo much for postpartisan. A decision to require that health plans cover birth control has sparked a tea-partylike uprising, particularly with the Catholic Church.
White House hinting compromise on birth controlHammered by Republicans and the Catholic Church, the White House hinted at compromise Tuesday as it struggled to calm an election-year uproar caused by its rule requiring religious schools and hospitals to provide employees with access to free birth control.
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