Celebrating the Birth of a Nation (and preventing one of your own)!

Happy 4th of July – this holiday is a day to reflect upon the birth of our nation (luckily, there wasn’t a contraceptive to prevent this from happening)! It is also a day where US citizens should stand tall and proud of their country and what it stands for. After all, America’s birthday is about independence.

Part of the responsibility that comes along with this freedom is our independence to make personal reproductive choices about sex, our bodies, and birth control. We have the amazing liberty to choose between a huge array of contraceptive choices. So, on this 4th of July holiday, I am asking you that, just as you may be sorting out which firework to light off first, you should also be sorting out which birth control method you can exercise your independence in using. I realize, though, that deciding upon a method can be a hard decision and a very personal one at that. To help you out, here are some factors and questions to consider when choosing the best birth control method for you.

Amongst the celebrating, parades, and Independence Day parties, you may find that some of the fireworks follow into the bedroom. Just as there are safety precautions that one should take when using fireworks, you, too, have a powerful arsenal at your disposal in case the sparks kept flying (and contraception was not part of the fanfare). It is not too late to take steps to reduce the chances of a potential unplanned pregnancy.

Many people may be aware of Plan B (the morning after pill) but do not use it because they think it's too late. Emergency contraception is available over the counter and can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex. So, once that the flames have cooled down, its not to late to protect yourself and take advantage of one of the personal liberties we are so lucky to have.

If, 9 months from now, you only want the 4th of July to be reminiscent of our founding fathers and the birth of our nation, and you do not want to be adding a new father or birth to the nation, then learn about the steps that can be taken to help prevent this from taking place.

_{Fireworks Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Online}