While we were talking about what might be the best way to prevent pregnancy, my sister-in-law, who is a gynaecologist, mentioned how a large number of women get pregnant because they believe things about contraceptives which are just not true. These myths are surprisingly widespread, because of which many women don’t take birth control pills or don’t use condoms, leading to unwanted pregnancies. In a country where sex is still a taboo, talking about birth control can be difficult for some people. There’s no denying that it is a challenge to find a gynaecologist with whom you can have an honest conversation about birth control, especially if you are not married, or close to 30. But they’re out there. So, before you make any sort of decision about contraception, find a doctor who can answer all your questions. And to help you further, here we are debunking some of the common myths around contraceptives.
Myth: A plastic bag or a balloon is a perfectly acceptable substitute for condom.
Well, a couple who recently landed up in a hospital because they used a plastic bag, did the job of debunking this for us. Not only is it unhygienic, it doesn’t work. If a condom, which has elasticity, can tear, what do you think will happen to a plastic bag?
Myth: I won’t get pregnant if we have sex (without birth control) during “safe time”.
Although menstrual cycle tracking apps have made it quite easy to keep up with one’s ovulation, our lifestyles can sometimes disturb the hormonal balance which keeps our cycle regular. According to your period calendar, you might be ovulating five days from now, but maybe diet, late nights, alcohol, and high stress you’ve had in the last few days have created havoc and disrupted the rhythm. You never know. Just don’t take chances!
Myth: Taking birth control pills will make it harder to get pregnant in the future, or cause infertility.
The truth is, you can get pregnant pretty much as soon as you get off the pill. Sometimes, it takes about 6 to 9 months for all the hormones to leave your system, but you can still get pregnant during this time.
Myth: Birth control pills can cause cancer.
On the contrary, the pill actually reduces the risk of several cancers, including ovarian, endometrial and colorectal cancer.
