FREE ESSAY ON ARTIFICIAL CONTRACEPTION

ARTIFICIAL CONTRACEPTION

There are many forms of artificial contraception. I am going to discuss some of those
forms and the Church's opinion. Condoms, or rubbers, are shaped like a balloon and are
made of a special kind of rubber. Condoms prevent sperm from reaching the cervix. They
are placed over the male's erect penis before intercourse. They are 80-90% effective. No
prescription is needed to use them. They protect against STD's. They are more protective
in preventing AIDS, then preventing pregnancy. They are not fully effective because they
can break, have defects, be slippery, or it can be too old. 
Spermicides such as: creams, foams, vaginal supporsitones, and vaginal film form a
chemical barrier that kills or makes the sperm inactive, which makes it impossible to
become pregnant. They are 80% effective. It is available without a prescription and
provides some STD protection. Effectiveness is increased if used with condoms.
Vasectomies are common for men. The tube that carries the sperm is cut and tied which
prevents sperm from being ejaculated. It is 99% effective This procedure is permanent and
is done through a small incision near the testicles. It does not affect sexual arousal. 
A cervical cap is a soft rubber dome that forms a barrier to prevent sperm from reaching
the cervix. The spermicidal gel kills the sperm. It is 85% effective. It may give some
protection against chlamydia and gonorrhea. The diaphragm does the same thing as a
cervical cap and is 85% effective. It is a flat rubber-like disk which has to be fitted
from a doctor. It is placed inside the woman's vagina before having intercourse. It is
often used with cream or jelly that is placed around the edge of the diaphragm. There is
a very high failure rate because sometimes they are not fitted or inserted correctly.
They create fewer health risks for women. It may reduce the risk of cervical cancer and
provides some STD protection. 
There are also injections for men and women. In men, a drug is injected into the sperm
duct to disable the sperm for a period of time. Depo-Provera injections that contain the
hormone, progesterone is injected and it prevents the release of an egg from the ovary.
It is 99% effective. It is long lasting and highly effective. It also protects against
uterine cancer. But it does not protect against STD's. Female condoms are 75-85%
effective but 95% effective if used correctly. The container end of the female condom is
placed inside the vagina before intercourse.
The Contraceptive Sponge is what a woman inserts inside her vagina over the cervix. The
sponge is 85% effective. Since it can be inserted incorrectly it is not that effective.
It releases a protective spermicidal gel. The sponge forms a barrier to sperm reaching
the cervix. The only one available is Protectaid. It may protect against STD's.
Intrauterine devices a metal objects placed inside the woman's uterus that prevents the
fertilized ovum from being implanted into the uterine wall. Intrauterine Devices(IUD's)
are 97-99% effective. It does not prevent contraception. It is an abortificaent rather
than a contraceptive. It must be inserted by a doctor. Two types are available:
progesterone and Copper-T. It does not protect against STD's. They are very painful and
doctors do not always do them because they have serious side effects like, hemorrhaging.
Contraceptive Pills that are taken daily imitate the woman's daily body cycle. It has
been among the most effective forms of artificial means of birth control. It may have
some harmful side effects like; blood clots, sterility, and strokes. The Birth Control
Pill is 99% effective. Man made hormones, estrogen and progesterone mimic the ones your
body naturally produces, which makes progesterone cause the uterus lining to change and
estrogen prevents the egg from maturing and being released. It does not protect against
STD's. It may reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. 
Female sterilization is 99% effective. It is commonly called "tying the tubes." It blocks
the tube which carries the egg to the uterus by cutting or tying it, which prevents the
man's sperm from fertilizing the egg. It is surgically permanent. In some cases though it
has been reversed. The "Morning After Pill" is taken seventy two hours after unprotected
intercourse. It is usually used in situations of rape or incest. It is 90-95% effective
and it can reduce the risk of pregnancy. It can only be used for emergencies and must be
prescribed by a doctor.
There are also Contraceptive Implants. They are small rods the size of wooden match
sticks that are inserted under the skin, usually the upper arm. They contain time
released capsules which prevent contraception for several years by p-preventing
ovulation. They may actually work as a abortifacient rather than a contraceptive. Because
this is a more recent type of contraceptive little is known about their side effects.
Withdrawal is another means of artificial contraception. It attempts to prevent
contraception by having the man withdraw his penis before he ejaculates his semen into
the woman's vagina. This has a very high failure rate because ejaculating is
uncontrollable and a man can not prevent it from happening. A few drops of semen contain
enough sperm cells to populate a town. They can move on their own through the vagina and
into the uterus to fertilize an ovum. Catholic teaching intentionally imposes this
because the main purpose of sexual intercourse is remaining open to children and
procreating, which in this matter is being prevented. 
The Catholic teaching states that artificial means if birth regulation are barriers to
procreation, to life. They are artificial invasions of their bodies which are
inconvenient, disruptive, awkward, uncomfortable, and unhealthy. 
Bibliography
Bibliography
Bovo, M.J. Birth Control. Online at Birth Control. Com. 1997
McCarty, Michele. Loving: A Catholic Perspective on Vocational Lifestyle Choices.
Brown-Roa; Dubuque, Iowa. 1993.