Contraceptives are more important than ever in our modern world. Family planning is a topic that has actually always moved mankind. Already a few thousand years ago, women knew methods to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Application and use
In addition to condoms and the birth control pill, there is a wide variety of other contraceptives. For example, some nomadic tribes used sponges soaked in plant extracts, which they inserted into the vagina, as a contraceptive to prevent sperm penetration and reduce their motility. This method is still used to some extent today. The famous Islamic-Persian physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna), who lived from about 980 to 1037, documented 20 different methods of contraception. In the Middle Ages, condoms made of sheep intestines were used as contraceptives in Europe, and in Pharaonic Egypt, women soaked small cloth lobules with a mixture of honey and the juice of acacia leaves. The cloth was inserted into the vagina, and the acacia sap is an effective spermicide. Another ancient method of contraception is the so-called coitus interruptus, that is, interrupted sexual intercourse. This is also the only type of family planning that is permitted without controversy by the Roman Catholic Church and still some other religious communities. However, the risk of becoming pregnant still exists. In 1961, an event occurred that brought about a profound change in social life, shaking its structures and values to the core. The so-called birth control pill was approved as the first hormonal contraceptive on the German pharmaceutical market. Apart from all the discussions and research results proving the pros and cons of this hormonal contraceptive method, it is currently still the contraceptive of first choice when it comes to preventing pregnancy in the best possible way.
Herbal, natural, and pharmaceutical contraceptives.
Of course, the development of contraceptives has not stopped since 1961, and in addition to the various types of “pill” that have since been developed, other methods of hormonal contraception also exist. For example, the pharmaceutical market now also offers the three-month injection, there are hormone suppositories, hormone patches, hormone coils and hormone sticks that are implanted under the skin of the upper arm and continuously release hormones into the bloodstream. Vaginal rings that have been infused with hormone preparations are also in use. In addition to all these hormonal contraceptives, some mechanical contraceptives are used. The best-known method is still the IUD, also known as the intrauterine device (IUD). These are small metallic objects that are inserted into the uterus and prevent the eggs from implanting in the lining of the uterus through mechanical stimulation. In some IUDs, the contraceptive effect is further enhanced by the secretion of copper ions, which have a sperm-killing effect. The mode of action of copper chains, which are also implanted in the uterus as a contraceptive, is similar. The advantage of the copper chain is that it is fixed in the uterus and thus the risk of rejection is much lower. A very rigorous method of contraception is sterilization or vasectomy. Both measures are irreversible. In sterilization, the woman’s fallopian tubes are tied or cut within a surgical procedure, and in vasectomy, the man’s vas deferens are also surgically cut. The decision to use this contraceptive method regularly requires careful consideration and should be used when medically absolutely necessary or when family planning has been completed with certainty. Other contraceptives that work on a mechanical basis and, unlike hormonal methods, do not interfere with the hormone balance, which is always associated with side effects, are the condom for the man and the diaphragm and cervical cap for the woman. Furthermore, there is a so-called femidom, the condom for the woman. The condom and femidom simultaneously protect against infection with sexually transmitted diseases.In combination with mechanical contraceptives or separately from them, chemical preparations such as gels or ointments can be used, which are inserted into the vagina. Their chemical composition kills sperm or impairs their motility. In sensitive individuals, these products can cause irritation of the mucous membrane. Recently, herbal contraceptives have also come back into the medical spotlight, but these have not yet been researched to the point where they can be used with a high degree of safety. Furthermore, in addition to the above-mentioned contraceptives, there are also various calculation methods available for determining the fertile and infertile days. This calculation can be done by classical temperature measurement or also by various small calculation computers, which are part of the assortment in pharmacies. Each woman should carefully select the contraceptive method that suits her individually and, if necessary, seek consultation with her gynecologist.
