Introduction
For many years, the human population has skyrocketed to a high level and raised an alarm in all sectors of life like the economy, politics and society. However, research has been carried out to identify ways of regulating the soaring population that threatens the existence of human life. Due to this, controversies have emerged regarding the ways through which the increase of human beings should be regulated. Through extensive research, it has been noted that the human population growth rate can be controlled. This essay aims at outlining the human sexuality birth control methods and the necessary actions needed to be taken to upshot their use.
Essay Body
Researchers have noted that many hormonal birth control methods are effective in population regulation by introducing them to the human body. The hormonal contraceptives are taken orally just like any other drugs and include the daily pills taken by a sexually active lady and the emergency pills that are taken after every sexual encounter (Eldridge, p. 45). Some are injected directly into the bloodstream after every three months by a sexually active woman while others, like the implants, are inserted into the women through surgical means and may last several years depending on the wish of the user. It should be noted that all these methods are advisedly used after medical examination to determine their effectiveness to the user. They are all reversible and once stopped, the woman can conceive.
In other cases, people may decide to use surgical means of regulating the population growth rate. They include tubal ligation that involves the cutting of the fallopian tube which supplies ova to the uterus for fertilization it can also be done on men through vasectomy which involves the cutting of the vas deference that supplies sperms from the male reproductive system to the female reproductive system. Through vasectomy, there will be no fertilization since the sperm cells will be blocked from getting out of the male reproductive system. These methods are permanent and hence individuals need to think well before they opt to go for them (Tone 70). In addition, they are costly compared to other methods of birth control available.
Other methods of human population control include the use of insertable barrier contraceptives like the diaphragm, cervical cap, spermicides, contraceptive sponge, coils, copper-T, copper-7 and the loop. All these are individually inserted in the female reproductive system and block the entrance of male reproductive cells to the uterus hence inhibiting fertilization and are done by gynaecologists (Eldridge, p. 52). Their validity depends on the user’s preferred ‘infertility’ time frame before conception hence they are temporary means of population regulation.
The human population growth rate can also be regulated by the use of artificial means that do not require any gynaecologist’s analysis of the individuals involved. They are used just before and during sexual encounters and they are replaceable. They include the male and female condoms that are widely available at supermarkets, chemists and ordinary shops.
In addition, natural means have also been widely used as birth control tools that involve the safe day sexual encounters in which a fertile woman observes her ovulation patterns and indulges in sex only when she is in her safe days (Marks, p. 35). This means that there will be no ova to be fertilized in case of unprotected sex. It is very easy to determine the sexuality of the baby through careful examination of the ovulation calendar and conceiving when there is a high possibility of getting the preferred gender of the child. The withdrawal method involves the removal of the male reproductive organ from the female reproductive organ just before ejaculation takes place. This means that the male reproductive cells will be deposited outside the female reproductive organs hence no chance of fertilization taking place.
Abortion has also been widely used as a way of planning families throughout the world in instances where the sexual orientation of the child is not preferred by the woman and if the woman is a rape victim (Trussell, p. 45). In the United States, there is ‘The Planned Parenthood Federation of America’ that widely advocates for women rights to determine the fate of their pregnancies and proposes a comprehensive sex education that involves the use of various family planning methods.
However, the use of hormonal methods has severe effects for they are linked with breast or cervical cancer that is a great killer of women. They are known to boost blood pressure due to an increase in body weight. Furthermore, they expose women to sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhoea, and AIDS (Tone, p. 76). The insertable contraceptives make women uncomfortable walking or sitting during their initial days after insertions. The effectiveness of the use of condoms is highly dependent on how effective the partners use them in wearing, using and their removal since they tear while being used due to friction during intercourse (Trussell 13). The natural means of family planning are highly unreliable as not all people are keen on following and keeping records of their ovulation process. The withdrawal method is not reliable since controlling the deposition of sperm cells to the uterus is hard to achieve and both partners are exposed to sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
In addition, there are no specific guidelines and rules regarding who is supposed to be given the oral contraceptive pills and their availability in the market has caused teenagers to engage in premarital and unprotected sex. They are eventually exposed to risks like early pregnancy, marriage and contraction of sexually transmitted infections leading to their dropping out of school (Eldridge, p. 79). Extramarital affairs have also flourished based on contraceptives and broken marriages. Abortion has been abused by many unmarried people as they tend to take it as an escape route from parental responsibilities. It has also been criticized by many human rights and religious groups as it devalues the sanctity of life and is against religious teachings. Furthermore, backstreet abortions done by quack have turned futile as death and maternal complications become inevitable. Despite their faults, these methods have been successfully used to control the size of families. Apart from inhibiting fertilization, some methods protect people from contracting sexually transmitted infections (Marks, p. 91). They have saved couples time to attend to their career that would have stalled due to maternal and paternal leaves.
Conclusion
There is a high population growth rate that threatens the survival of people due to pressure on available limited resources. However, regardless of the evils and shortcomings that threaten the birth control measures outlined above, there is a need for public awareness through mass media on the use of these contraceptives. Further research needs to be done to improve on the weaknesses of the current methods used for population regulation and more men based population control methods should be devised to relieve women from being the most subjected to birth control methods.
Works Cited
- Eldridge, Laura. In Our Control: The Complete Guide to Contraceptive Choices for Women. New Castle: Seven Stories Press, 2010.Print.
- Marks, Lara. Sexual Chemistry: A History of the Contraceptive Pill. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010. Print.
- Tone, Andrea. Devices and Desires: A History of Contraceptives in America. New York City: Hill and Wang, 2002. Print.
- Trussell, James. Contraceptive Technology. New Jersey: PDR Network LLC, 2008. Print.