6 Non-Hormonal Birth Control Options
The hormonal birth control pill is the most well-known option for preventing pregnancy, though, many women complain about unwanted symptoms from it like sensitive mood, depression, unwanted weight gain, acne, and nausea. The reason for many of these symptoms is because the pill administers artificial hormones to your body and shuts down your body’s natural process of producing its own hormones. Luckily there are other birth control methods available that do not contain hormones and can still prevent pregnancy. It is important that all women are knowledgeable on all the different kinds and types of birth control so that they can have minimal side effects while preventing pregnancy.
Here are 6 non-hormonal birth control options:
1. Fertility Awareness Method
Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is one of the non-hormonal birth control options. It works by understanding when you are most fertile during the month and avoiding intercourse during that time. To conceive, the sperm has to meet with the egg in the fallopian tube, which is when you are ovulating, so FAM helps you know when this window occurs so you can avoid sex during that time to prevent pregnancy. There are 3 main features you want to know how to do to track ovulation accurately.
The first feature is basal body temperature. For this, you will take your temperature everyday right when you get up in the morning and once you see a slight increase in temperature, this is when you are in ovulation.
The second feature is cervical fluid or discharge changes. Cervical fluid functions to either prevent or promote sperm entrance to the uterus. Cervical fluid should be dry during your period and the days following. Your cervical fluid changes from a sticky or glue-like consistency into more of a creamy/lotion consistency in the follicular phase. At your most fertile stage, in ovulation, cervical fluid can be the creamy/lotion-like consistency like an egg-white consistency that would stretch between your fingers. After ovulation, if pregnancy does not happen then your cervical fluid can transition from the glue/lotion consistency to dry.
Lastly, the cervical position is the third feature of the FAM. The cervix is the connector between the vaginal canal and the uterus. Its position and consistency change throughout your cycle and after intercourse. A rule of thumb for knowing when you are ovulating is the acronym SHOW (soft, high, open, and wet). This is because these conditions make it easier for the sperm to enter the uterus. When you are not ovulating, the cervix is usually low, dry, and closed. To start implementing this way of how to track ovulation, start by washing your hands and getting into a position that feels comfortable for you, then insert your middle or index finger into your vagina and feel around for the cervix and take note of where it is and how it feels.
The benefits of this method are that you don’t need a prescription, it is intuitive, you aren’t injecting anything in your body, and it is free! The disadvantages are that it is not completely accurate, coming in at about 80% effective rate.
2. Condoms
Condoms are one of the more commonly known non-hormonal birth control options. This is a method that the male partner would use to cover his penis in order to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. One thing to note is that some women are allergic to the common material used in condoms which is latex. Women who use latex condoms but are allergic report itchiness and burning sensations when using them. The benefits of using condoms are that it is not hormonal, it is the only method that protects against STDs, and it is safe and easy to use. The disadvantages are that they can be expensive if you don’t buy in bulk, they can take away from the pleasure of intercourse due to the barrier, and on their own, the effectiveness is only 85% effective.
3. Copper IUD
The copper IUD is another one of the non-hormonal birth control options. Now it’s important to not get confused; there are two types of the IUD. There is a hormonal IUD and the copper IUD. The copper IUD is a little T shaped rod made of copper that is inserted into the uterus once and after that, you do not have to do anything to it for many years. The copper ions in the IUD are released in the uterus and prevent sperm motility in the uterus by causing a localized cytotoxic inflammatory response. The benefits are that it is nonhormonal, extremely high effective rate of 99%, and low maintenance because you can leave it in for up to 10-12 years. The disadvantages are that it may cause heavy and painful periods, it can raise copper levels in the body which can affect estrogen circulating levels.
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4. Sponge
Another one of the non-hormonal birth control options is the sponge. As in the name, the sponge is a disk-shaped piece of foam that contains spermicide to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. The spermicide in the sponge blocks or kills the sperm, and the sponge is a physical barrier that inhibits the sperm from entering the uterus by blocking the cervix. Once inserted, the sponge can protect you from pregnancy for 24 hours, and can not be reinserted in the vagina after the 24 hour period. The benefits of the sponge are that it is non-hormonal, you can put it in and take it out whenever you want. The disadvantages are that it isn’t super convenient, it can put you at equal risk for toxic shock syndrome as a tampon, and the effectiveness is only around 84%.
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5. Diaphragm
Another one of the non-hormonal birth control options is the diaphragm. This method is quite similar to the sponge method. The diaphragm is a little dome-like cup made of silicone inserted in the vagina hours before sex and covers the cervix to prevent pregnancy. The diaphragm is different from the sponge because you can reuse the diaphragm for up to 2 years. After intercourse, you can remove, wash, and store the diaphragm for another use. It is also different from the sponge because the diaphragm doesn’t contain spermicide, so you must apply the spermicide onto the diaphragm each time you have sex. The diaphragm benefits are that they are non-hormonal, the effectiveness is 88%, and it’s less waste than the sponge. The disadvantages are that it is less convenient, you have to get spermicide separate from the diaphragm, and you have to clean it after each use.
6. Femtech
Lastly, Femtech is another one of the 6 non-hormonal birth control options. Femtech is a broad term used for period tracking apps. There are many different kinds that you can download and report symptoms, the heaviness of your period, sleep cycle, cervical fluid, and daily temperature. These apps claim to predict your ovulation day and fertile window, but you can’t predict ovulation off only past cycle data.
Natural cycles: It gives you a thermometer to track temperature for ovulation in addition to the app where you can track much more information about your period. The effectiveness rate is 93%, and the app is FDA approved.
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Daysy: This one also comes with a thermometer and includes a database that includes over 5 million menstrual cycles that they claim to improve your period and ovulation accuracy. A study was done on the app’s effectiveness, stating that it had a 99% effectiveness rate, though recent research has debunked this as flawed and inflated results.
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Temp Drop: Temp drop claims to work by tracking your sleep and your nightly and morning temperature to predict ovulation and your period. It also claims to support those who have PCOS, TTA, or TTC.
Ava: This app requires you to buy a bracelet that you wear to bed which tracks your sleep and tells you in real-time the 5 best days to have sex to get pregnant.
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Kegg: The Kegg test is a little ball that you insert in your vagina that performs a short test to examine your cervical fluid to see how fertile you are. The results connect to an app, and it will show you statistics on what phase of the cycle you are in etc.
