Do a lot of married women take birth control? or do they chart their cycles?

Question

I am so confused as to whether women take birth control every time they dont want to get pregnant. i never had a weight prob until or unless i was on the pill. it seems like every girl i know does not take the pill. they either have an iud or something in their arm. i cant have an iud because i had PID (pelvic inflam disease) and i dont want to gain even more weight on depo (i hear this all the time) and i hear the norplant i think it is can cause other problems like giving you too much testosterone. my husband and i hate condoms. We want to have children close together, can you really do this without spending a lot of money on birth control or ovulation kits every month or whatever. anyone use the withrdrawal method (BE HONEST) around the time the are supposedly fertile. WHAT REALLY WORKS for people in general. How do you honestly avoid pregnancy without condoms or being on birth control. i know alot of people that do, or they are just plain lying.

Answer 1

it depends on the two people involved.  my first husband and i didn't use any birth control and we had 1 kid in 3 years but my second husband and i have had 2 kids and they are 11 months apart.  so it really just depends on how fertle you both are.  personally, we're very fertle, i have an iud.  thank god.  but my first husband and i never used any form.  we were together for 4 years, never used protection, and only had one child.  my husband now, 4 years together and 2 kids and that's only because he was deployed for a year and a half or we would've probably ended up with more.  get a fertility test, that's where i would start.

Answer 2

My mom always used a calender, knew exactly what days she would get pregnant and which days were "safe". The only time it didn't work was when she went on vacation - different climate changes your cycle. But she has a medical background so that must have helped her. It seems too confusing to me though....

My friend used the "withdrawal method", as you call it. She got pregnant.

Answer 3

We use spermicidal lubricants and these inserts that melt and foam up around your cervix to prevent pregnancy. We've been doing it that way for two years and have not had one problem or one scare.

Answer 4

My husband and I use the withdrawal method all the time, we've been married 12 yrs with one daughter and no accidents.  When we were first married we used condoms a bit but didn't like them, I have never taken the pill as I don't want to mess around with hormones.  Withdrawal is very effective if done properly and the jury is still out on whether pre-ejactulate has viable sperm cells in it though many people say they have gotten pregnant with this method of birth control.

Answer 5

I am on BC, but it's and IUD, and it's so we don't get pregnant right away after having our first. It's convenient because it lasts 5 years and I don't have to think about it. I can even have taken out early (which I probably will). I am on Mirena.

"Withdawal" is not a BC method..it just isn't.

Answer 6

My husband and I have been together since 2000.  For 90% of our time together I was on birth control pills and they worked brilliantly.  Provided you take the pill every day and at the same time of day for best 'results'.  about 4 years ago, I went on Mirena which is an IUD with birth contol pill hormones in it.  it also worked great.  once we were ready to have children, I went to the doctor in October 2006 and had the IUD removed.  I counted my cycle length, which for me was unchanged using an IUD, at 32 days. I divided that number in half and assumed for that 'week' I was fertile.  Clearly, I was since I got pregnant in December 2006 and have a little girl.  We also wanted our children close together.  This was a little more difficult since after childbirth your cycle is VERY irregular... or it was for me anyway.  I went the first 3 months withought a period, then got it when Marseilles was 4 months old, then 2 weeks later I got it again! then nothing for 60 days.  I finally became 'regular' in May 2008 when she was 8 months old and counted my cycle out again.. and presto.. I'm pregnant.  The kids will be 18 months apart nearly to the day.  And, in case you think I was this lucky just because of my age.. WRONG.  I am 34 years old.  This 'system' has also worked for my sister and a few of my friends.  To answer your other questions, we only used the withdrawal method when it was a few days before my 'fertile' week and we had to 'wait' until all the hormones from the birth control pill were out of my system.. so for 1 month.  i don't particularly care for the withdrawal method because if there is pre-ejaculation you could get pregnant so if you're not ready.. this may not be the 'way to go'.  Have you tried the female condom?  they really advertise it at my midwife's office and a few of the women who have used it like it better than the male condom.  In the end, I would honestly recommend the pill.  If you gain weight, then you're probably not on the right 'balance of hormones'.  Hope that helps!  Also, keep in mind, that although most women on a 28 day cycle ovulate on the 14th day, this is NOT the case for everyone.  My cousin actually ovulates, or at least gets pregnant right after she has had her period.  Depo is horrible and so is the norplant patch.