Comparing contraceptives – the pill vs the rhythm method
WHICH contraceptive method is right for you? Over the next few weeks we will compare and contrast methods using information from the National Family Planning Board. Here’s the rhythm method vs the pill.
FERTILITY AWARENESS METHOD (RHYTHM METHOD)
76 per cent effective
Fertility awareness methods are used to inform a woman of her fertile period (when she can become pregnant) and to determine when her menstrual cycle begins and ends.
How it works
A woman can use a fertility awareness method of contraception alone or in combination with other fertility awareness methods to identify when the fertile time of her menstrual cycle begins and ends. Fertility awareness methods of contraception involve both calendar-based methods and symptom-based methods. With calendar-based methods, pregnancy is prevented by monitoring the days of a woman’s menstrual cycle to determine the beginning and end of her fertile period. With the symptom-based method a woman identifies one or more signs of fertility using the basal body temperature, cervical mucus secretions, or cervical changes.
Effectiveness
About five pregnancies occur per 100 women using this method in the first year. This means that 95 of every 100 women will not become pregnant.
Benefits
•No hormones
•Helps her know when to expect menstruation and when is best to try getting pregnant
Side effects
•None
How reliable is it?
Fertility awareness can be very reliable, but it requires daily, weekly, and monthly attention. If you do not count the days correctly or do not check for physical symptoms of ovulation, you increase your risk for pregnancy.
THE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILL
91 per cent effective
The pill is an oral contraceptive that contains low doses of two hormones — oestrogen and progestin. These hormones are similar to the natural hormones oestrogen and progesterone that a woman’s body produces during her reproductive years.
How it works
One pill is taken every day for 21 or 28 days, depending on the brand. When taken correctly, the hormones cause the ovaries to stop releasing eggs, the cervical mucus to thicken thereby decreasing the sperm’s ability to penetrate through to the womb, and the lining of the uterus not to develop enough for a fertilised egg to implant.
Effectiveness
The pill is 91 per cent effective. It becomes 98 per cent effective when it is taken exactly how it should be taken. Delayed or missed pills reduce its effectiveness.
Benefits
•Easy to use
•Reversible, meaning you can stop it at any time
•Helps to regulate periods
Side effects
•It may cause nausea, headaches, and spotting for the first few days
•It may cause changes in weight
•It may cause blood clots, heart attack, or stroke, especially for women who are heavy smokers or have pre-existing heart conditions.
