The Chinese Birthing Chart

The Chinese Baby Calendar was discovered about 700 years ago by a Chinese scientist. It is believed to be very accurate by many in the far east, while Westerners aren’t so sure. The Chinese Gender Calendar can be a lot of fun whether you’re a “believer” or not.

In order to get accurate results using the Chinese gender predictor, you need to understand the differences between the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar used here in the west.

First you need to know the month of conception, remember conception not birth. Some have mistakenly used the actual birth date and of course this won’t give you an accurate result, so be sure you use the month of conception!

The confusing part for most people is figuring the mothers age at conception, this is her age on the Chinese calendar not the Gregorian Calendar used in the west.

To figure the mother-to-be’s month of conception just add 9 months from her date of birth. Also take into consideration the fact that the Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year, always between January 22 and February 22.

Now using the parameters above, you simply figure the babys month of conception as well as the mothers month of conception, follow the two columns till they intersect and if the square is blue-it’s a boy, but if it’s pink you’ll be having a girl baby.

If you want to see if the calendar was right or wrong, you could of course have an ultra-sound in your seventh or eighth month and know for sure. The Chinese Gender Prediction Calendar can be a lot of fun regardless, so break it out at your next baby shower, and enjoy!

The Chinese Baby Calendar can be lots of fun to experiment with, but regardless of gender, you new baby is a gift and deserves to be loved and nurtured.

For even more info on gender predictors visit Chinese Gender Predictor

Is It Possible? Can You Get Pregnant Without Intercourse?

If you’re educated on fertility then you surely know that there are some strange ways women can get pregnant.  There are even some women who end up pregnant the very first time they have sex with a man.  The odds of this happening are slim to none but it’s still a possibility and something that does happen.  The idea is strange but in actuality, it is possible for women to get pregnant without actually having intercourse.

This is a very unusual circumstance but again there is a possibility that yes you could get pregnant without ever actually having intercourse.  Once a woman’s menstrual cycle has begun, she is fertile and able to get pregnant.  Especially if the woman didn’t wash off right away there is a slim but possible chance of conception occurring.  A man could have sperm on his fingers and put them into the woman’s vagina and this could also result in conception.

This can certainly be hard to imagine considering that most women have to plan down to the last detail to get pregnant when they’re trying to.  However there are some women that are extremely fertile.  If a woman is going to be physical with a man at all it’s important they are using a reliable form of birth control.  There are various methods of birth control that are available today.

There are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.  The pull out method which many women assume is good enough is not reliable at all.  For one thing, the chances of pulling out at the right time and preventing any ejaculation into the vagina are slim to none.  For women who want to know can you get pregnant without intercourse and who are trying to prevent pregnancy, it’s important to always use some form of birth control.

There are some very effective methods of birth control available today.  From condoms which are about ninety percent effective to the intrauterine device which is inserted through the vagina into the uterus, these are extremely successful at preventing pregnancy.  The IUD is considered as being the best long-term form of birth control.  It offers an option to women who are not able to use hormonal forms of birth control.

The Advantage of Natural Birth Control

Fertility awareness inevitably leads to natural birth control. Some people can’t or won’t use hormonal contraceptives and prefer natural family planning over other modern contraceptive solutions. The ovulation method, the rhythm method, the standard days method, the sympto-thermal method are just a few of the natural birth control choices people rely on. Here is how each of these works.

The standard days method

The menstrual cycle is divided into three main periods according to the standard days method. Day number 1 is the first day of the period. Between day 1 and day 8, you are unlikely to get pregnant and you can have sex without birth control. Between day 9 and day 18, ovulation takes place and you are fertile. You should not have sex, or you should use another birth control method. From day 20 to day 32, you can once again enjoy natural birth control.

The ovulation method

The analysis of the changes in the cervical mucus makes the basis for the ovulation method. Ovulation usually takes place between the 9th and the 18th day of the menstrual cycle, with variations from woman to woman. The fertility tests available in drug stores can help you determine when you ovulate, and thus you can use some extra birth control during that period.

The sympto-thermal method

The sympto-thermal method is both a natural birth control solution as well as an option for couples trying to conceive. It is a bit more difficult to keep track of the subtle changes in the body, which is why women who want to get pregnant are keener on this method than those who seek natural birth control.

There are no guarantees with natural birth control. There is a lot of unpredictable in the way a woman’s body works during the menstrual cycle, and many unplanned pregnancies appear as a result. If the menstrual pattern is regular, then the efficiency of natural birth control methods is very high, just like that of hormonal birth control. Seek medical advice and see what recommendations you can get. Professional advice could simplify your choices a lot, and good information could save you from an unwanted pregnancy!

How to Use Morning After Pill in The Birth Control Purpose

Emergency contraception or the morning after pill is a hormonal treatment administered if another form of birth control has failed, or when no protection was used. There are many resemblances between the morning after pill and the regular hormonal pill since the ingredients are the same. The morning after pill should not replace a regular birth control method, because used frequently it can seriously impair health.

The morning after pill should be used as soon as possible after you have unprotected sex. Normally it can be used within three or five days after intercourse, but the sooner you act, the better for you. Manufacturers nevertheless warn that the efficiency can be influenced by the moment when you actually administer it. Do not mistake this birth control method for the abortion pill, because this is not the effect it produces. Emergency contraception simply prevents ovulation, and changes the lining of the uterus so that it cannot allow the egg to nest.

The morning after pill has similar side effects with the regular hormonal pill, and the efficiency rate is pretty high. The usual adverse reactions to hormonal treatments may appear nonetheless: nausea, headaches, breast tenderness and spotting. Read the list of instructions carefully and check the side effects in detail for your birth control purpose. The morning after pill should not be used by women who suffer from severe liver disease or porphyria. There are also drugs and herbal supplements that interact with the morning after pill decreasing its efficiency.

Get a drug prescription right away if you need the morning after pill. Don’t wait for a later appointment, and mention it is an emergency. The sooner you act, the higher the risk of unwanted pregnancy. In some states, you can also buy the morning after pill without prescription. The only downside is the cost, as the prices are a lot higher in pharmacies. Emergency contraception can be accessed freely with certain organizations, but you need to know where to call.

The morning after pill does not protect you for the entire menstrual cycle, and after you take it you are again exposed to the appearance of pregnancy if you don’t use another birth control method. Do not take more emergency contraceptives during the same menstrual cycle because of the serious adverse reactions. Rely on some serious birth control method or abstain from sex.

Natural Family Planning With The Use of Birth Control

Natural family planning requires a lot of sexual awareness and plenty of knowledge on the body mechanisms that rule fertility. This kind of birth control is not easy, and both partners share the duty of getting information. The same methods used for the prevention of pregnancy can also be applied the other way round, when the couple is trying to conceive. Tests for ovulation, the changes in the cervical mucus, the standard days methods, computer-generated tests and charts, all could be of help for birth control and easier conception.

Natural family planning is easy to understand and put into practice, plus, it is totally inexpensive. Yet, it requires good communication with the life partner as well as willingness to accept the eventual limitations of the method. There are around ten days every month when sexual intercourse without birth control may result in pregnancy. Two choices are possible: not to have sex or use some other birth control method. Condoms will prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, while natural family planning only works for pregnancy prevention.

For the efficient use of natural family planning, a woman has to interpret her fertility on a daily basis. Moreover, it is not advisable to choose natural birth control methods when you know that you don’t want a child, and the possibility of getting pregnant seems devastating. Therefore, if a possible pregnancy would not be such a disaster for you, natural family planning could be taken more lightly. The effectiveness of the method can only be appreciated depending on how accurate the woman is with her interpretation.

In the case of perfect usage, natural family planning is more effective than oral contraceptives. Yet, the average, not the perfect, user is in question, the efficiency rate drops somewhere between 75% and 88%. These data look closer to reality because rules are seldom followed that correctly.

Who relies on natural family planning? Such birth control options enjoy a higher popularity within some communities because of some cultural or religious beliefs. There are families that won’t mind conceiving and therefore take little care of birth control. In fact, for most couples who try natural family planning, a baby would not be a problem or a mistake.

Male Birth Control And The Controlversial Issue

Male birth control is considered a controversial issue for lots of reasons. A few years ago large pharmaceutical companies like Schering, Organon or Wyeth announced the production of hormonal birth control designed especially for men, but the results of their research hasn’t been finalized yet. Why? Because the investments are huge and the market is not that receptive to male birth control pills. So far, many drug manufacturers have abandoned their projects, stopping research programs in progress.

Statistics show a certain willingness on the part of men to use alternative forms of birth control. Normally, male birth control is administered as an injection with testosterone that would prevent the production of sperm. Women, however, have shown reluctance towards entrusting men with birth control treatments. For the moment, vasectomy is the only viable male birth control option, yet, few people are willing to try it. How is hormonal birth control supposed to work for men?

The male birth control solution has to combine testosterone with progestin so as to suppress the production of sperm but with process reversibility. This is not possible with a pill because the testosterone would be too quickly broken down by the liver. Hormonal male birth control may be produced either as a monthly shot or as a topical product. Biannual implants could also be a solution, but the procedure required is considered too invasive.

Between 10% and 15% of men have a low reaction to hormonal male birth control, which is quite a high rate of non-response. The issue is in the number of cells that need to be blocked. While with female hormonal treatments, there is just one egg to prevent from fertilizing, with male birth control, there are millions of spermatozoon that have to be inactivated. The efficiency of this birth control method also seems to depend on race factors.

Condoms definitely make the most viable form of male birth control. Couples successfully use condoms, and so do people who have occasional sex. It is the only birth control method that is non-invasive and protects against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Birth Control Side Effects In Relation With Combined Estrogen and Progesterone

Hormonal birth control gives most side effects of all. Pills have the lowest tolerance level, but individual factors have the biggest influence under the circumstances. We will briefly refer to the most common birth control side effects, yet, regardless of how mild they may seem, they cannot remain permanent. If the normal accommodation symptoms don’t go away after a month or two at the maximum, seek medical help right away.

Breast tenderness, dizziness and headaches are usually temporary birth control side effects. Once the accommodation period passes, these inconveniences ought to go away. The same thing applies to nausea, although the frequency of this adverse reaction is lower. You can deal with the problem if you take the hormonal pill with food. Sometimes the doctor could recommend a switch of brands when the birth control side effects persist despite your excellent health condition.

Breakthrough bleeding or spotting is the most common of hormonal birth control side effects, yet it is unbearable for lots of women. The incidence of this inconvenience could be reduced if you take the pill at the same time every day. Normally, spotting diminishes and disappears once the adjustment period is over, but the list of side effects mentions it as potentially bothersome for up to two months.

Further birth control side effects associated with the use of combined estrogen and progesterone, include mood swings. It is important to run medical tests and determine whether the birth control pill is to blame for depression. If it is indeed behind the problem, the pill will not work for you in general. Try non-hormonal birth control methods that have fewer adverse reactions.

The birth control side effects are more intense and potentially health ruining if they appear with smokers, women over 35 or those with a medical condition. For a perfectly healthy woman, birth control side effects appear just as a temporary reaction to the treatment. Weight gain often accompanies hormonal imbalances and it has been reported as a side effect of the pill, yet the incidence is reduced in the case of ultra-modern contraceptives.

Very serious birth control side effects include blurred vision, abdominal cramps, unexplained severe headaches, numbness in the limbs and chest pain. You should stop the treatment right away and address an emergency health care facility immediately. Report any other abnormal symptoms to the gynecologist. Do not use birth control pills unless they are prescribed by a doctor because you could seriously endanger your health.

The Birth Control Shot is a Contraceptive Method Injected Intramuscularly

An easy to administrate contraceptive solution, the birth control shot makes a good choice for lots of couples all over the world. It contains progesterone only, with the hormone being slowly released into the body. The main impact of this hormone is to prevent ovulation, meaning that there will be no egg release monthly.

The efficiency range of the birth control shot is superior to that of the birth control pill. While with the pill, 8 in 100 couples get pregnant yearly, the rate is only 3 in 100 per year in the case of the birth control shot. The chances of getting pregnant are very high if you don’t administer the next shot on time.

You should also be aware of the fact that the birth control shot does not provide protection against STD. Plus, there are physiological changes that could be an inconvenience while using this birth control method. Normally included in the list of adverse reactions, you could be experiencing:
-irregular menstrual periods;
-headaches, breast tenderness and weight gain;
-mood changes and depression.

Overweight is the most difficult to fight back if it appears as a side effect, because hormonal imbalances are harder to correct. Other long-term side effects have been reported in relation to the use of the progesterone birth control shot. Thus, many women have developed osteoporosis by losing in bone density during the treatment.

In case you decide that the birth control shot is a good option for you, talk to your health care provider and make sure that your daily calcium intake is enough to support the hormonal treatment without loss of bone density. Moreover, fertility may be harder to recover after the long term use of the birth control shot. The fertility problem is not permanent, and women can recover in time, but difficulties could appear along the way.

Your doctor could also warn you about other potential problems and even advise against the shot in case she/he suspects an existing health condition. You should not administer it if you suffer from any of the following:

-headaches;
-disorders with blood coagulation;
-unexplained vaginal bleeding;
-thrombosis;
-cancer;
-if you suspect a pregnancy.

As for costs, the birth control shot is not expensive, not to mention that health insurance usually covers the expenses. The best advice you can get related to the shot is at your doctor’s office.

Last but not least, when using some other drugs or herbal supplements, it is important to rely on a supplementary birth control method because the risk of interferences leaves you unprotected against pregnancy.

Birth Control Ring Is As Efficient As The Combined Hormonal Pill

The birth control ring is a contraceptive device that releases hormones directly into the blood stream at the level of the vagina. The uterus and the ovaries are thus prepared against the appearance of a pregnancy. The birth control ring contains two main ingredients: progesterone and estrogen, both with a role in the function of the reproductive system. The blockage of the ovulation means that no egg is released for fertilization. Another anatomical modification consist in the thickening of the cervical mucus and the changes in the uterine lining.

Insert the birth control ring in the vagina on the first day of your period and let it work for 21 days in a row before removing it. It should be removed on the same day of the week when it was inserted. Don’t use it for seven days more and the menstrual bleeding will occur. Then, the cycle continues. The use of the birth control ring resembles that of other hormonal birth control methods. Yet, you should check the usage instructions carefully so as to be sure that you don’t overlook some detail. Mention must be made that the birth control ring is not efficient for the first seven days after the start of the treatment.

During this interval, the birth control ring needs to be used in parallel with some other birth control method: condom, most of the time. With this birth control method there is no protection against sexually transmitted diseases. As for the physical comfort, lots of girls and women wonder whether the ring will not be a problem. Normally, since the position in the vagina is not important, the ring can be placed as you consider more comfortable. You should not feel it as you don’t feel a vaginal tampon. There is no need to remove it when bathing or swimming.

In terms of efficiency, the birth control ring acts similarly with the combined pills. Do not use it unless you have a perfect health condition. Only a doctor can tell whether the birth control ring makes a good choice for you or not. There are fewer side effects than with the use of hormonal pills, but they can be aggravated for smokers and girls with a certain medical history. Dizziness, headaches, spotting and mood changes are a few of the regular reactions to the use of the birth control ring. Normally, the inconvenience is temporary and corresponds to the transition period.

Are There So Many Birth Control Options?

Birth control options often seem confusing because of the numerous possibilities, the number of factors that influence the choice and the potential side effects that come with certain methods. And there is nothing like professional advice under the circumstances. Consider the following elements for your discussion with the health care provider.

-age;
-health condition;
-the regularity of the sexual activity;
-whether you smoke or not;
-the efficiency of birth control options;
-plans to have children etc.

Birth control pills often make the most popular of birth control options. Any young woman that is in good health can use them when engaged in a long-term relationship. If you are over 35, you are a smoker or you have a more peculiar medical record, you should search for other possibilities.

Besides the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, condoms make the most suitable of all birth control options by the protection they provide against STD. The efficiency rate of such birth control options is pretty high. Use latex condoms only and follow the safety instructions.

For the optimal use of spermicides and diaphragms, the application should happen prior to sexual intercourse. Leave the diaphragm in the same place for six hours after intercourse, before removal. Spermicides kill spermatozoon, but the efficiency rate is lower than with hormonal birth control options.

Hormonal patches represent other popular birth control options that many young women use. They are considered very efficient, with an action similar to that of the hormonal pill; yet, you do not have to remember to administer it daily, which saves the user from the inconvenience of skipping a pill. Nevertheless, there are side effects specific to hormonal birth control options, and you should be informed on them before starting any treatment. A medical practitioner should be able to clarify all aspects for you, don’t hesitate to ask.

IUD or the intra-uterine device belongs to a different category of birth control options; it requires implantation in the uterus and it is pretty costly. The usage extent of one device can reach ten years, depending on technology and design. Such birth control options are not advisable for people who plan to have a child in a year or two.

Vasectomy, hysterectomy, the calendar method or other family natural planning birth control options make further possible choices from case to case. The male shot meant to inactivate the spermatozoon makes a more innovative alternative, but the use of this method has so far remained limited. The choice of the right method is purely individual and should only be taken after serious consideration of all circumstances involved.

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