Seriously, it’s 2017. So why do close to 60 percent of the women we polled still rely on “pulling out” as their go-to contraception method, when there are options for even the laziest?
Seriously, it’s 2017. So why do close to 60 percent of the women we polled still rely on “pulling out” as their go-to contraception method, when there are options for even the laziest? Hoe I Yune reports on safe sex in the 21st century.
1. SUCCESS RATE 99%
JAYDESSI NTRAUTERINE SYSTEM (IUS)
WHAT
Approved in Singapore last June, Jaydess is a 50-cent-coin-sized T-shaped plastic device your gynaecologist inserts into your womb, where it slowly releases a small amount of progestogen. This hormone thickens cervical mucus so sperm cannot easily swim through the cervical canal to get to the egg. The IUS is touted by doctors as one of the most reliable forms of contraception; unlike the pill, you don’t have to worry about missed doses. According to health-care solutions company QuintilesIMS, there was an 11 percent jump in the use of such long-acting reversible options over the past year. Don’t freak out if your period becomes lighter, shorter or even stops – these are common side effects.
USE IT IF
You want a break between babies or are done having kids, as the device stays in you for three to five years. See your doctor to remove it.
DON’T USE IF
You have unexplained vaginal bleeding, liver inflammation or hormone-dependent conditions such as breast and womb cancers.
2. SUCCESS RATE 99%
DEPO - PROVERA CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION
WHAT
Depo-provera, available here since 1989, involves the injection of the hormone progestogen into muscle – usually in the buttock, leg or arm – to stop the release of eggs. Like the Jaydess IUS, “it thickens the cervical mucus to impede the passage of sperm into the uterus”, says Dr Quek Swee Chong, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist at Gleneagles Hospital. You get the jab from your doctor between the first and fifth day of your period, and it lasts three months. Common side effects include headaches, stomach aches and weight gain.
USE IT IF
You’re not up for the long-term commitment of an IUS.
DON’T USE IF
Your periods aren’t regular.
3. SUCCESS RATE 99%
ORTHO EVRA PATCH
WHAT
This self-adhesive birth control patch has been around since 2003. You stick it on a clean, dry and non-hairy patch of skin – think: your upper arm or lower abdomen – which will then absorb the hormones that stop the release of eggs. Stomach upsets also don’t mess with absorption. Expect side effects such as breast tenderness, spotting and migraines, which go away after you’ve been on the patch for two to three months. Dr Christopher Ng, obstetrician and gynaecologist at GynaeMD Women’s & Rejuvenation Clinic, says that two percent of women will experience skin irritation from wearing the patch. Also, in about four percent of them, the patch could come off and they won’t notice it. You need to change the patch every week.
USE IT IF
You don’t want the daily hassle of the pill, yet are uncomfortable with the thought of getting a device or a vaginal ring.
DON’T USE IF
You already suffer severe migraines or are at an increased risk of developing blood clots.
4. SUCCESS RATE 98%
NUVA RING
WHAT
The vaginal ring releases hormones into your blood through the vaginal wall to stop ovulation. It needs to be changed every week. Launched in 2012, it works like the pill but with one big benefit: the hormones aren’t absorbed by the stomach, which means that tummy upsets won’t negate its effects. Possible side effects, however, include vaginal discomfort and nausea.
USE IT IF
You aren’t squeamish about inserting the ring on your own. Squeeze the ring between your thumb and finger, and use your other hand to gently spread your labia. Push the ring up into your vagina until it feels comfortable. To remove it, hook your finger through the loop and gently pull it out. Discard the used ring.
DON’T USE IF
You’re a smoker aged 35 and above, says Dr Susan Logan, a sexual and reproductive health care consultant at the National University Hospital Women’s Centre. This could increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Opt for the copper IUD or IUS instead.
5. SUCCESS RATE 99%
NOVA-T COPPER INTRAUTERINE DEVICE (IUD)
WHAT
Unlike an IUS, this doesn’t contain hormones. Rather, copper ions are released into your womb, which change the make-up of fluids and make it less-than-comfortable for sperm to survive.
USE IT IF
You’re buying time between babies or are done having kids. “It works best for women who have already had a pregnancy, partly because the cervix is open wider, making the insertion of the device easier and less painful,” says Dr Ng.
DON’T USE IF
You have heavy or prolonged periods – IUDs can make periods heavier, longer and more painful.
