Effective Methods of Contraception

Effective Methods of Contraception

There are many methods of contraception out there, but how many are more likely to prevent pregnancy? The methods available are not only for women, but for men too. The top five effective methods of contraception are male sterilization, female sterilization, contraceptive implant, IUD, and Depo-Provera (Lehmiller, pg.264).

First we will start with male sterilization. Male sterilization is a procedure that will permanently keep him from being able to get a woman pregnant. The procedure is done by a health care provider who will make tiny cuts in the scrotum. The tubes that carry the sperm are then tied off and cut. A fluid (semen) will still come out of the penis; it just won’t contain any sperm. This can be great because it is something that is completely controlled by him. It can be upsetting if he or the couple eventually change their mind and decide they want to have children, because this procedure lasts the rest of their life.

Female sterilization is a procedure that will permanently keep her from becoming pregnant. The procedure can be done two ways, one is surgical and the other is non-surgical. In surgical sterilization the fallopian tubes are cut, and then sealed or tied. In the non-surgical sterilization a small coil is placed into each fallopian tube. The coil then causes scar tissue to form in the tubes, which blocks them. If one chooses the non-surgical method, it will take up to three months for the scar tissue to fully block the tubes. This option like male sterilization is great because it is safe/effective, and it is something that can be controlled by her. However, this surgery lasts a life time, and if they change their mind it can be devastating.

http://www.sparrow.org/HealthLibrary/MayoContent
/global//images/image_popup/mcdc7_implanon.jpg

Contraceptive implants such as implanon and nexplanon are about the size of a match, and it is inserted in the arm to prevent pregnancy. They work by releasing a small amount of hormone into the body, which prevents the body from releasing eggs, and also changes the mucus of the cervix to make it harder for sperm to enter. This method is great because it goes into the upper arm and lasts for up to three years. It is not permanent, and can be removed by a health care provider at any time.

http://www.conceiveeasy.com/uploads
/risks-of-an-iud-pregnancy.png

An IUD is a small T-shaped device that is made of soft, flexible plastic. There are currently two types available in the United States. ParaGard is a copper IUD made up of copper and plastic, it prevents pregnancy by blocking the sperm from meeting with and fertilizing an egg. Mirena also works by stopping the sperm from meeting with and fertilizing an egg. The mirena also prevents pregnancy by releasing a small amount of progestin which prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg. The IUD is inserted into the uterus by a health care provider, and it is effective for about five to ten years.

http://www.feministcenter.org/assets/images/
birth-control/133x150xshot.jpg.pagespeed.ic.VVXOktxe4g.jpg

Depo-Provera is an injection of the hormone progestin. This prevents pregnancy by keeping the ovaries from releasing eggs. The shot also causes the cervical mucus to thicken, which blocks sperm from meeting with and fertilizing an egg.  Each injection lasts for about 12 weeks, and it is important that the shot is given on time every time to prevent pregnancy. An interesting fact about the shot is that women who take the shot are less likely to have cancer of the uterus and pelvic inflammatory disease. If a woman decides that she wants to get pregnant, it may take up to a year after stopping the injection to become pregnant. Another interesting fact about the shot is that using it longer than two years may cause the bones to thin and it can worsen over time. Normal bone growth returns when she stops taking the shot.

There are many more methods of contraception than I mentioned here. There are a few more that are close to the effectiveness as the ones mentioned above. They are; male condom, oral contraceptives, contraceptive patch, and the vaginal ring. The effectiveness of any contraception depends on the user, and if they are using them correctly. I encourage those of you who are interested in the different types of contraception to research them and figure out what works best for you.

References

Birth Control Implant (Implanon and Nexplanon) :: Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). Birth Control Implant (Implanon and Nexplanon) :: Planned Parenthood. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-info/birth-control/birth-control-implant-implanon

Lehmiller, J. J. (2014). Sex Education, Contraception, and pregnancy. The psychology of human sexuality (p. 264). Oxford: John Wiley & Sons.

Office of Population Affairs (OPA). (n.d.).Shot. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from http://www.hhs.gov/opa/reproductive-health/contraception/shot/

Office of Population Affairs (OPA). (n.d.).Female Sterilization. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from http://www.hhs.gov/opa/reproductive-health/contraception/female-sterilization/

Office of Population Affairs (OPA). (n.d.).IUD. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from http://www.hhs.gov/opa/reproductive-health/contraception/iud/

Office of Population Affairs (OPA). (n.d.).Male Sterilization. Retrieved June 28, 2014, from http://www.hhs.gov/opa/reproductive-health/contraception/male-sterilization/

Sexual Fetish or Obsession?

         Reading through the material I was very intrigued by the fetish subject in the book. Although I have never met anyone who has a fetish, I was curious as to what constitutes a fetish. Is a fetish just an obsession? Webster's dictionary states that an obsession is: the state of being obsessed with someone or something. The definition for a fetish, according to the same source is: a form of sexual desire in which gratification is linked to an abnormal degree to a particular object, item of clothing, part of the body, etc. It seems to me that they are linked to some degree. Having a fetish or an obsession could have potential to make others feel uncomfortable.

I wanted to know, what are some of the most common and what are some of the strangest fetishes. My daughter and I watched a show called, My Strange Addictions and one of the interesting people on there liked a thing called "pony play". She dressed up as a pony, bit and all, and was really satisfied playing that role. She states in the video that she likes this type of role-play. She does not mention if it is a sexual desire she is fulfilling, so I uploaded the video so that you could make your own observation.

Dr. Neil Cannon gives some insight on why people have fetishes and that they can be generational as well. Here is a clip of him discussing his view on why a fetish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EhdKiEn-ZU 

Some of the most interesting fetishes that people do not hear that much about according to, The Sexual Deviant in All of Us by Jesse Bering.

Acrotomophilia: Arousal to amputees

Actirasty: Arousal to the sun’s rays

Agalmatophilia: Arousal to statues

Anasteemaphilia: Arousal to a person of extreme stature, either giant or dwarf

Apotemnophilia: Arousal to oneself as an amputee

Autogynephilia: Arousal to oneself [male only] in the form of a woman

Autoplushophilia: Arousal to oneself dressed as a giant cartoon-like stuffed animal

Chasmophilia: Arousal to caverns, crevices, and valleys

Climacophilia: Arousal to falling down stairs

Coprophilia: Arousal to feces

Ephebophilia: Arousal to older adolescents, approx. 15-19

Exhibitionism: Arousal to displaying one’s sexual organs in public

Fetishism: Arousal to objects that have been in physical contact with desired person

Formicophilia: Arousal to insects

Frotteurism: Arousal to touching a stranger surreptitiously in a crowded place

Gerontophilia: Arousal to the elderly

Hebephilia: Arousal to pubescent aged children, approx. 11-14

Katoptronophilia: Arousal to sex in front of mirrors

Knismolagnia: Arousal to being tickled

Lithophilia: Arousal to stone and gravel

Masochism: Arousal to experiencing physical and psychological pain

Melissaphilia: Arousal to bees and wasps

Nasolingus: Arousal to sucking on a person’s nose

Nebulophilia: Arousal to fog

Necrophilia: Arousal to corpses

Objectophilia: Arousal to a particular object, distinct from fetishism

Partialism: Arousal to a body part other than the reproductive organs, e.g., calves

Pedophilia: Arousal to prepubescent children

Podophilia: Arousal to feet

Psellismophilia: Arousal to stuttering

Psychrophilia: Arousal to being cold and watching others who are cold

Pteronphilia: Arousal to being tickled by feathers

Pubephilia: Arousal to pubic hair

Pygophilia: Arousal to buttocks

Sadism: Arousal to causing physical and psychological pain

Savantophilia: Arousal to the cognitively impaired or developmentally delayed

Stygiophilia: Arousal to the thought of hellfire and damnation

Teleiophilia: Arousal to reproductive-aged adults

Teratophilia: Arousal to the congenitally deformed

Titillagnia: Arousal to tickling other people

Transvestic Fetishism: Arousal to female garments touching the male’s skin

Urophilia: Arousal to urine or urinating others

Vorarephilia: Arousal to eating another person’s body parts

Voyeurism: Arousal to spying on others for sexual gratification

Xylophilia: Arousal to wood

Zoophilia: Arousal to nonhuman animals

         As far as fetishes go, they can range from Acrotomophilia (arousal to amputees) to Xylophilia (arousal to wood). The most common fetish in Lehmiller’s observation is feet and toes, with 47% of group members who admitted that this is one, or their only fetish. There are a lot of weird fetishes out there, look at this video.

       

Relating back to Lehmiller, he clearly explains the difference between a “turn on” and a fetish. “A fetish tends to obsess over the fetish object and focus exclusively on it” (Lehmiller 331). While these two are close in definition, they are polar opposites in the way that a “turn on” can be multiple things, while a fetish is the focus on one thing, over and over again.

Fetishes are not limited to body parts; they can be to inanimate objects as well. The most common fetish that is related to an object is stockings, skirts and other things that are worn on the legs.

     While reading an article by L. F. Lowenstein, M.D, I learned that fetishes can be taken one step too far and can lead to criminal acts. There are two types of sexual burglary crimes; the first one is burglaries with overt sexual dynamics and the second is voyeuristic burglaries, where the sexual actions were covert and subtler (Lowenstein 141). Crimes that are sexually motivated, such as fetishistic burglaries, and they are generally hypothesized to be linked with more aggression and violent acting-out.  There was a case where a 16-year-old male became violent and aggressive while robbing somebody’s house. Not only did this boy have a desire for robbing a person’s house, he has multiple personality disorder. This boy’s desire to rob this house was based on the urge of sexual fetishism and his desire to rob a house.

 Many people around the world have sexual fetishes. Sometimes they consume people's lives and other times they are just things that stay on the back burner and wait until they are needed. Fetishes can be expressed in many ways, and at any age, but mainly they can be seen early on as stated above. I hope this is educational and answers some questions about fetishes that anyone might have.

Resources for pictures:

‪freenewfashiondesign.com

‪www.uni-watch.com

Resources for information:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/23/sexual-fetish_n_4144418.html

http://content.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.uaf.edu/pdf25_26/pdf/2002/42X/01Jun02/11303737.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=11303737&S=R&D=aph&EbscoContent=dGJyMMTo50SeqLU4yOvsOLCmr0yep7NSr6e4S66WxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGqtUqzqLFPuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA

Sexual Attraction and Human Evolution

                 

                  While researching for a blog topic for this class, I came across several interesting articles about sexual attraction and the role it plays on human evolution. The overall theme of the articles includes the idea that, as humans, those that are more attractive tend to mate more often and, thereby, pass their attractive genes on to the offspring. Over time, this practice leads to a more attractive society.

                  For example, DNA research performed on ancient inhabitants in the Ukraine revealed that, over generations, these early humans evolved to have lighter skin pigmentation, as they became primarily farmers and not hunters (Balter, 2014). Researchers compared DNA variants for lighter skin, hair, and blue eyes of ancient inhabitants with modern populations and found that modern populations possessed 8 times as many DNA variants (Balter, 2014). Diet and locality played some role in the evolution over time, but researchers also suggested that this trend can be explained by sexual attraction or sexual selection; for example, those individuals with lighter hair and blue eyes were considered more attractive (Balter, 2014). It would seem that these individuals were popular.

                  Does sexual attraction play a role in human evolution? Sexual selection in other animals, such as guppies, confirms that those with unusual or unique characteristics are more popular. I would think that in humans, cultural preferences would play a large role in what is considered sexually attractive. What about individuals that are too different? Are they sought after or shunned in society?

                  In another article from 2012, the idea that humans are continuing to evolve found that there are differences in sexual selection of men and women based on attractiveness. Men are more likely to evolve faster over time than women because they are more likely to be successful at mating with more partners due to their sexual attractiveness (University of Sheffield, 2012). Very interesting concept but, from a biological perspective, it makes sense. Are men more successful at mating than women?

                  Sexual attraction and sexual selection are interesting concepts, especially in the study of sexuality. I think that both ideas are valid arguments in human evolution, but I also think there are other factors to consider, most especially, culture and society.

Works cited:

Balter, M. (2014). New Diet, Sexual Attraction May Have Spurred Europeans' Lighter Skin. Retrieved from http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sciencemag.org%2Farchaeology%2F2014%2F03%2Fnew-diet-sexual-attraction-may-have-spurred-europeans-lighter-skin

University of Sheffield. (2012, April 30). Darwinian selection continues to influence human evolution. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 24, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430152037.htm

Attraction**Sorry this is late I couldn't get on blogger.

After reading the chapter on The Laws of Attraction it really made me think about all the different things that make up attraction.  It also made me think about the conflicting information there is out.  It’s said opposites attract or birds of a feather flock together, what makes us attracted to one another? From our text it discussed seven major variables in attraction, mood, propinquity, similarity, scarcity, arousal, hormones, and physical attractiveness. 

In doing a little more research I found that attraction is not just in romantic relationships, but in what attracts us to friends and who we work with.  In this video by Vanessa Van Edwards she discusses how not to be boring and how to be more attracted to people.  She mentions how to be more memorable and how to have appropriate body language. 

http://youtu.be/1pT3xamrI1E

This makes me think is attraction something we have to think about?  Or is this part of our social identity?  Do we need to learn and watch our body language or only when we are attracted to someone? 

I included this photo because I think it does show how there are so many different types of love and attraction and we are such an ever changing population, culture, and people that we never know how it will end up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pT3xamrI1E

http://www.scienceofrelationships.com/home/tag/similarity

http://www.scienceofpeople.com/the-psychology-of-attraction/

Sexual Behavior in Children (by Catharine Stallings)

My husband was in Afghanistan for the first ten months of my daughter’s life. When he returned home and gave our daughter a bath for the first time he shocked to see that she kept touching herself and trying to see what was down there. He freaked out about and I never thought much about it, I figured she was just curious, she was a curious bab

y. At my daughter’s one month check-up I asked her pediatrician if it was normal and she assured me there was nothing to be concerned about.

My daughter is about to be three and still manages trying to self-exam herself from time to time or just touch randomly and it freaks my husband out still. Friends of mine said it’s just a phase and their kids do it too, especially the ones with young boys.

But… the last thing a parent wants to think about or worry about is their children engaging in what is considered a sexual behavior especially when they are out in public.

If you’re intrigued about why I am writing about this, well, my reasoning is quite simple. We have discussed sex education in terms of children learning in school and parents needing to play a role in teaching as well. Parents need to educate themselves appropriately for each and every age. By understanding how talking to a child affects them may make a world of a difference on the outcome of a specific situation and perhaps how they engage with us later about private circumstances.

Take situations A and B into consideration after reading this story and how the child may feel.

Situation A: A young boy, age 4, is in the middle of a crowded store with his hands down his pants blatantly touching himself. His mother runs up embarrassed as people walking by take notice. She quickly runs over and strokes his behind and shouts “stop that right now it’s disgusting”.

Situation B: A young boy, age 4, is in the middle of a crowded store with his hands down his pants blatantly touching himself. His mother approaches him kneels down and whispers in his ear “please take your hands out of your pants and help mommy finish shopping”.

Situation A draws even more attention to the situation and makes the child feel as if they did something really wrong. In reality, did he? After all, we are sexual beings it’s only natural. Situation B the mother meets the child down as his level making it more comfortable and private. The mother is able to address what is going on and potentially draw his attention to something else.

As a parent I ask:

How do we know what is normal?

How do we differentiate normal developmentally appropriate from abusive and violent behaviors?

Can we prevent our children from engaging in certain behaviors in public without shaming them?

I believe the answer is simple: Educate ourselves, our friends, and our families.

We can learn to tell if there is an actual problem to identify or if our children are engaging in normal sexual behaviors consistent with their age groups.

“Reassurance and guidance about normal sexual behaviors can allay questions and concerns that many parents may have. A 3-year-old who begins to masturbate before falling asleep may simply have discovered a self-soothing technique, may have seen the genitals of a new sibling, or may be responding to the stress of returning to his or her mother's house after a weekend visit with his or her father. Appropriate parental responses are key to managing such behaviors. The assessment of a child with sexual behavior problems may reveal a home environment characterized by abuse, neglect, or interpersonal violence. Sexual behavior problems in children who remain in such homes will be difficult to treat and manage. If the safety of the child is at risk, child protective services may place the child in alternative care, and sexual behaviors may escalate. Many children with sexual behavior problems will require referral to therapists for further assessment and treatment.”(Kellogg, 2013)

Perhaps, developing a trusting relationship at an early age and expressing sincere interest in children’s behavior will allow us to appropriately address the challenging issues later in life.

 

 

References:

Kellogg, N. (2013, June 24). Clinical Report—The Evaluation of Sexual Behaviors in Children. . Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/3/992.full

Masturbation. (2014, January 1). HealthyChildren.org. Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Masturbation.aspx