Abortion prevention: how to prevent unwanted pregnancies

Abortion prevention involves several aspects. This includes educating girls about pregnancy (before puberty), supporting women who decide to give birth, contraception, and a sensible approach to family planning. The negative consequences that occur after an abortion must be prevented. The main activity is assigned to the shoulders of parents and teachers-psychologists of secondary educational institutions. It is very important to establish a trusting relationship with a teenage girl, gradually preparing her for the nuances of adult life. It is necessary to tell in an accessible form about how to prevent unwanted pregnancy and about sex education in general. For older girls in family planning centers, you can get booklets that tell you in detail about the statistics of negative consequences after abortions in Russia and detailed warnings on how to avoid them.

In general, the prevention of abortion is reduced to the following conditions: good sexual education; the use of effective means of contraception, including emergency; ensuring the safety of legal abortion, which depends entirely on the professional skills of the doctor; mortality and disability from unsafe abortions can be reduced by timely provision of emergency treatment of complications; receiving quality medical care after an abortion.

A reminder of the consequences after an abortion for the female body

Abortion is the deliberate premature termination of a pregnancy as a result of external intervention. Leads to the death of the human embryo or fetus. Very often, after the termination of pregnancy, various genital pathologies occur, which cause inflammation of the pelvic organs, infertility, menstrual disorders, difficulties in the onset of subsequent pregnancy, miscarriage, premature birth, ectopic pregnancy.

After an abortion, there may be devastating psychological consequences: depression; loss of appetite; insomnia; guilt; inability to continue a normal life; low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.

Is there an ideal type of contraception?

Each method of birth control has its pros and cons, but their diversity allows you to choose the most suitable for each person. Let's take a closer look at each of the types.

The condom is the most well-known, popular and inexpensive contraceptive. Currently, it is made mainly of latex. A condom is a mechanical barrier that prevents sperm from entering the cervical canal. At the base of the product there is a small "tongue", where the sperm is placed, which comes out of the urethra during ejaculation. To increase the effectiveness, it can be used in combination with any of the means that destroy sperm cells. Some condoms are coated with a gel-like lubricant, come in a variety of colors and flavors, and even with different flavors.

Disadvantages: damage to the condom during intimacy occurs most often from improper use or storage in unfavorable conditions (light, high humidity and high temperature damage the latex); slipping of the condom is due to an incorrectly selected size; the possibility of decreased sensitivity during coitus; there is a possibility of latex allergy (about 2-3% of people).

Advantages: easy to use and purchase (does not require a doctor's visit and prescription); affordable price; largely protects against STDs, some doctors believe that the use of condoms prevents cervical cancer in women; highly effective in preventing abortions.

Oral contraceptives

The most common option for protection against unwanted pregnancy. The advantage of hormonal contraception is its high effectiveness. In addition to the traditional pills containing two hormones, estrogen and progestin, mini-pills that have only one active agent, progestin, are also available. The disadvantage of oral contraception is the need to take pills every day at the appointed time, which requires a certain discipline.

Birth control patch

Abortion prevention in the latest developments is irreplaceable without the use of this product, which is so easy to use.

Mechanism of action: blocks the work of the ovaries; inhibits ovulation; blocks the approach of sperm, its movement; suppresses the growth processes in the endometrium; changes the physical and chemical processes in the fluid contained in the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes; prevents the movement of cilia installed in the epithelium of the lining wall of the fallopian tubes.

How to use: the first patch is glued on the first day of menstrual bleeding (only on clean, dry, undisturbed skin); for three weeks, apply the contraceptive after menstruation, followed by a week of rest; place only on the buttocks, on the lower abdomen, on the arms or shoulders; the hormonal patch must be worn for seven days, then replaced with a new one; while in the sauna or doing physical exercises (for example, running, swimming, bathing, sunbathing), the effectiveness of the contraceptive patch does not decrease.

Birth control injections

The use of an injectable contraceptive is one of the most effective methods of preventing pregnancy. One milliliter of the drug protects a woman for three months and contains 150 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (a synthetic derivative of natural progesterone obtained from the female body). Women who decide to protect themselves with this kind of contraception should take into account the fact that during the prolonged action of the drug there can be no menstruation. This method of preventing pregnancy is possible only on the prescription of a doctor after a full examination of the body.

Vaginal ring

It is a flexible circle with an outer diameter of 54 mm. The diameter of the ring in the cross section is 4 mm. It is intended only for women of childbearing age.

Disadvantages: reduced sexual sensitivity.

Benefits: after stopping the use of the vaginal ring, the probability of pregnancy may be higher than usual; reduction or absence of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome; reduction of discomfort associated with menstrual bleeding and the risk of anemia (this advantage is due to a decrease in blood loss during menstruation); reduction of the incidence of appendage inflammation and ectopic pregnancy; relief of symptoms associated with endometriosis; reduction of the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer; reduction of the incidence of uterine fibroids; reduction of ovarian pathologies; reduction of the risk of benign lesions in the breast (cysts, fibroids); the use of hormonal contraception is important in the prevention of osteoporosis; the use of a vaginal ring does not interfere with coitus.

Natural methods of contraception

It is believed that the fertile period (the possibility of fertilization) of any healthy young woman takes only 5 days (each cycle). This is 3-4 days before and a day after ovulation. This is due to the assumption that the sperm, remaining in the cervical mucus, retains the ability to fertilize for 72 hours (or 3 days). In some cases, spermatozoa retain their viability for up to 7 days. The average life span of spermatozoa in the female genital tract is 48-72 hours. So it is not difficult to calculate the "safe" days. If menstruation occurs irregularly, then this method will be completely ineffective. Options for natural regulation of conception: symptothermal method (combines temperature and cervical); temperature method; cervical billing method; calendar method.