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[The ‘Sun, Thui'sday Véept. 8. 197771. -, ' ' ' \2 e - . g 7 V

C‘hlldrenmre :0 Important 1. V Thar: Why birth planning 55» SO important . in fact, it's

one of the most important.

One of the important objectives of the Planned Parenthood Associ- ation of P.E.l. is to make avail- able to you the facts that will help you make a decision. We will go out to community groups,schools and informal get-togethers. We have books, pamphlets,magazine art- icles and also a small lending li- brary at your disposal. We do all this because we care. And realize it helps you acquire information you need to be a responsible per- son in society. And as an exten- sion of the above, we are writing this article for The Student News.

At one time, having children was taken for granted. Now is the first time in history that it is possible to make an educated and' responsible decision based not on— ly on personal feelings but on your own socio-economic situation and your opinion of world popula- tion growth. .

' The following is a brief descrip- tion of the various methods of birth planning and their relative effectiveness. For additional in-. formation and counselling on their use please contact your doctor or planned parenthood office at 76 B Kent Street, 892-8lhl. .Office hours are weekdays 8:30 a.m. to #230 p.m.: Mondays and Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sat- urday morning 9:00 a.m. to noon.

birth control pill This is certainly the most high-’

ly publicized and most widely used method of birth control in North America today. The reasons for this are two-fold. It is a most highly effective form of birth control - provided you remember to take the pill every day. Once established on the cycle, no other method need be used. The pill works by maintaining a high hor- mone level in the body which pre- vents the release of an egg from‘ the ovary. Every woman has a dif- ferent body chemistry and so there are pills with different amounts of hormones. All pills must be prescribed by a doctor after a thor- ough physical examination. The pat- ient should be made aware of the possibility of certain side effects and these should be discussed with the doctor at the time of examina- tion. The cost per cycle (per month) _is approximately $3.50.

diaphram

The diaphram is a dome-shaped . flexible rubber shield. It is placed into the vagina covering the cervix thus preventing the entry of sperm into the uterus. The diaphram should always be used with spermi- cidal jelly which is available from drug stores without prescription. Used without spermicidal jelly the diaphram offers very little protec~ In order to ensure proper coverage of the cervix, and comfort for the wearer,a,diaphram can,only be fitted_

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decisions you’ll ever ‘make. I

and prescribed by a doctor. It should also be changed if a weight gain or loss of from five to ten pounds should occUr. The diaphram may be inserted an hour or so prior to intercourse and must be left in place for at least eight hours afterwards. The cost of a diaphram is approximately $6.75.

foams & ie~||ies

These over-the-counter prepara- tions are placed deep into the va- gina close to the cervix by means of’an applicator. These should not be confused with feminine hygiene products and care should be taken in selection. Foams and jellies, when used properly,are chemical

‘ barriers which assist in prevent-

ing sperm from entering the uterus. Also,the chemical effect of the spermicidal agent is to immobi- lize and kill the sperm. However if the cervix is not completely covered,or does not remain so during intercourse,this method is not an effective method of birth control. For this reason foams and jellies should never be used alone and a suggested second method of contraception is the condom.

These non-prescription prepara- tions may be purchased from your drug store at a cost of approxi- mately $6.75.

sympto-thermal

This natural method is an ex-

pansion of the rhythm method. It

is a combination of daily record- ing of your basal basal body temp- erature (using a special thermometer available from your drug store) and cross-referancing this on a chart with daily indications of change in cervical mucus. When read together

7 on a monthly chart,the information

will enable you to ascertain your fertile and infertile days. A high degree of daily self-motivation is required for this method to be ef- fective. Also either a second mechanical means of birth control must be used during the fertile days or total and absolute abstin- cence at this time. The effective- ness of this natural method depends solely on the accurate recording and interpreting of the chart and on the self-discipline and motiva- tion of the couple. It is for these reasons that conflicting evidence on the number of pregnancies occur- ing is found.

intrauterine 'device

The intrauterine device or I.U.D. is one of the oldest methods of birth control dating back as far as the first century. Some are made entirely of an inert material such as plastic and others cOmbine plastic with either partial copper coatings or the hormone proaest- erone. The I.U.D. is placed direct- ly into the uterus.and a short |'string“ Can be felt at the cervix

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andkshould be checked_by the woman ,H,

' weekly and at the end of eachimenfl'i-‘ILQ~ strual period to ensure that the ' _r'v.u.o. is still in place. ,The I.U.Dj." comes in many shapes and sizes and must be inserted or removed by a doctor'in all cases. ‘The I.U.D.. s' _ basically works by preventing the egg from implanting in the uterus.

Plastic l.U.D.'s may be left in place indefinitely; those contain-- ing copper must be replaced every

'two years and those containing progesterone,every year. l.U.D.'s

“constructed of plastic only are slightly less effective as a method of contraception than the other types. Like the pill,the I.U.D. allows for spontaneous sexual expression and requires no other motivation except checking

” to see that it is in place. The

only cost involved is the initial purchase price,averaqing $8.00. condom " The condom is a thin protective sheath which is unrolled over the head of the erect penis. Condoms act as a barrier preventing sperm from coming into contact either with an egg or with the woman's external organs as even the slight- est unprotected genital contact may' result in pregnancy.” The contra- ceptive effectiveness of the condom» may be increased by the use of vag-. inal foam. Condoms come in many new shapes,colors,and-forms of lubrication are available without prescription from drug stores. The cost ranges from $l.00 for r * three to approximately $5.00 per '335fffi dozen. . ‘ f“? An accepted way of learning tfijSé ;; . method is by using Uteaching coUp-ffi‘sa“: les”. There are two such couples “7M3 N on the lsland,Edie and Paul Creighan 892-2970 and Calaude and Julie Parent 892-9205. .

sterilization. .

Depending on your decision to have: children you may also wish to conr* sider sterilization as a permanent alternative. The operation for the - woman is called tubal ligatiOn., ' Basically the structure of the fal- lopian tubes is altered surgically so that an egg cannot travel down the tube and into>the uterus and pregnancy does not occur.

The operation for the man is called vasCectomy. This involves a surgical interruption of the transport Of sperm. Therefore no sperm are re- leased in the seminal fluid upon- ejaculation. Both procedures require a doctor and tubal ligation may ‘ 7f“ necessite a brief hospital stay. “A5 vasectomy may be done in the doctonisj

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"office.

.Although medical science is advanc-

ving every day,persons considering ‘sterilization Should do so with the

knowledge that it is,at present, V being used as a permanent procedure.

failure rates

Birth control pilf iiLS percent

I.U.D. . . . . . ..l.5'8 Condom . . . . . ..lO-l5 fl Diaphram (with contraceptive - ‘ -

jelly) .......l0-l5, ‘

M. .é,.‘;.~!%: £321. ruJ- «gr “(turnr 9.4.021

.