Advantages of Free Birth Control Options: Why Don’t Women Use It Enough?

Women’s access to birth control is now better in many regions of the world, thanks to the implementation of free contraceptive programs. However, despite their accessibility, not all women use these services. In this blog, we’ll look at why some women may choose not to take birth control, even if it’s free, and why contraception is such an important option for women’s health and empowerment.

Nevertheless, not every woman is taking advantage of these free options. Lack of awareness could be one of the causes. Some women may not even be aware that free birth control is an option. It is for this reason that educating and spreading information is crucial.

Myths and misconceptions around birth control could be another factor. Women may worry about the side effects of the pills and the complications of using the contraceptive options. The good news is that there are numerous birth control options available, so if one doesn’t work for you, there’s usually another that will.

Then there’s the access problem. Birth control is not easily available to everyone, even though it can come for free. Some women could be living in regions with a shortage of healthcare experts or encounter other challenges when seeking the necessary medical attention.

Let’s not forget about cultural or religious views that may impact a woman’s decision on birth control. Certain cultures or faiths have different beliefs regarding family planning that may influence whether or not a woman chooses to use contraception.

Reasons why women aren’t taking advantage of free birth control

Lack of awareness: Some women may be unaware that free birth control is accessible to them. Limited education or information on contraception methods may contribute to this lack of awareness.

Concern about side effects: Women may be concerned about potential side effects from various birth control methods, such as hormone changes or weight gain. Women may be discouraged from considering birth control due to misconceptions or misunderstandings regarding its side effects.

Access barriers: Even when birth control is provided for free, real-world challenges such as transportation or the limitation of time may make it difficult for some women to obtain contraceptive treatments. A lack of nearby healthcare facilities or qualified physicians providing contraception might also be challenging.

Cultural and religious beliefs: Cultural or religious ideas about contraception might discourage some women from taking birth control. In some societies, women’s decisions may be influenced by societal shame or taboos around birth control use.

Lack of Finances: While birth control is free, additional costs, such as doctor appointments or follow-up visits, may still be expensive for some women. Financial instability or a lack of insurance coverage for relevant healthcare services might also limit women’s ability to access free birth control options.

Benefits of birth control for women

Empowerment and autonomy: Birth control enables women to make sounder choices regarding their reproductive health and family planning. Women with control over when and if they become pregnant have more freedom to pursue their education, professions, and personal aspirations.

Health benefits: For some women, birth control means more than just avoiding pregnancy. It can also assist with acne, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis. Birth control works by lowering hormone levels, which may relieve symptoms and enhance overall health. Hormonal birth control methods can also help treat or prevent illnesses, including ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.

Regular periods: Hormonal birth control can help many women regulate their menstrual cycles, lowering the intensity of symptoms like cramping, heavy bleeding, and irregular periods. This not only improves quality of life but also helps with illnesses such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis, which can have a substantial influence on everyday functioning.

Reduces risk of cancer: According to studies, long-term usage of certain kinds of birth control, notably oral contraceptives, can reduce the chance of developing ovarian and endometrial cancer. By managing hormone levels, birth control can help maintain a healthier reproductive system, lowering the risk of certain cancers.

Prevent unwanted pregnancies: One of the main reasons for using birth control is to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Having control over when and whether to have children allows women to pursue their education, career goals, and dreams.

The bottom line

The reasons why some women do not use free birth control are complicated, with access difficulties, concerns about side effects, cultural influences, and misinformation all playing a role.

By recognizing and addressing these issues, we can strive toward a future in which all women have access to the resources they require to make sensible choices about their reproductive health.

At-Home Vaginal pH Test: From Women, To Women

Did you know you can perform an at-home vaginal pH test? Well, you certainly can. Women are marvelous creatures, they can turn everything into magic. Society has termed women as the worst enemy of other women, they are wrong.

To maintain proper vaginal health, especially during menstruation. Menstrual hygiene is the primary key to promoting good vaginal health so use good menstrual products. In case of menstrual pain keep a hot water bottle or heating pad handy. Your vagina is full of bacteria some good and some bad. One of the good bacteria is vaginal flora or vaginal microbiome, that protects your vagina from infections.

Menstrual disorders and menstrual irregularities can disrupt the woman’s menstrual cycle. Poor menstrual hygiene means poor reproductive health. A woman’s vagina is a very acidic area, it has a pH level of less than 4.5. If the pH level gets higher than 4.5, it gives the bacteria and yeast a space to thrive, which can increase the chances of bacterial and yeast infections.

Now to talk about vaginal health women just know when their body is going through a change, be it through vaginal discharge or itchiness near the vaginal area, which could be the signs of vaginal health infection. You may feel exhausted, your appetite will change, plus the changes in your sexual life will make you realize that there’s something off.

What could you do at a time like this? You will visit your gynecologist, find out the cause, and start your medications. But do you know you can use an at-home vaginal pH test to find out about common infections like yeast infection, or other conditions like UTIs (Urinary Tract Infection), Candidiasis (a kin

d of fungal infection), and BV (Bacterial Vaginosis).

What is an at-home Vaginal pH Test?

An at-home vaginal pH test offers you the luxury of testing for conditions like yeast infection, UTI or BV from your home, even at the slight discomfort. With the availability of at-home vaginal testing and telehealth visits, it’s easier for women to take their health into their own hands. What’s special about these tests is that they’re created by women for women in need and for the betterment of women’s vaginal health.

Why is Vaginal Health Important?

Maintaining a proper vaginal health means maintaining women’s overall health. If your vaginal health is poor it might affect your sexual health and fertility. Be sexually responsible, and use contraceptives during sexual intercourse for STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). Keep your vaginal area clean for UTI prevention.

How to Use an At-Home Vaginal pH Test?

An at-home vaginal pH test contains pH paper strips. All you need to do is put the paper strip against the wall of your vagina for a few seconds. Once you are done, compare the color of your pH paper with the color on the chart that’s provided with the vaginal pH test kit.

Though these pH strips can not exactly tell you if you are going through an infection, they can tell you that your pH levels are off and there could be chances of infections, like yeast infection, candidiasis, or BV.

Some of the Best At-home Vaginal pH Test kits

In the market, you can find several pH test kits, but we have curated a list of the best ones out there for you.

STIX: The most discrete pH test kit available out there. It’s the best one in use for finding out about the yeast infection and UTIs. The stix strips are very easy to use with simple instructions to follow, allowing you to seek treatment at home with confidence.

Nutrablast: Nutrablast feminine pH test strips are super accurate and give you instant results, the only disadvantage being that it does not come with detailed instructions. It consists of 100 pH strips with a full range from 1-14, you have to cut a new strip from the roll each time you have to take a test. If you are someone who has regular or simultaneous vaginal symptoms then this product is for you.

Juno Bio: If you are someone who has recurring vaginal infection issues, you must try this product. Juno Bio is an at-home vaginal microbiome testing kit, it takes a complete scan of your vaginal microbiome for better vaginal health. All you gotta do is swab the inside of your vagina and send the sample to the company. The scientists there will analyze all the bacteria, viruses, and yeasts. It will show which microbes are present and how many of them are there.

Having a balanced vaginal microbiome is very important, as the imbalance can give rise to several conditions. Two common causes of imbalance in the vaginal microbiome are unprotected sex and antibiotics.

The Bottom Line

Let’s profess our heartiest thank you to women who have made it easier for other women to meet their healthcare needs successfully and conveniently, especially for women who live in areas where proper healthcare facilities are restricted. You can order an at-home vaginal testing kit online and perform an at-home diagnosis easily.

Hormone Replacement Therapy in Young Women with Surgical Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in young women with surgical primary ovarian insufficiency is very rare these days. Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) supplements women with essential female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, which are lost during the menopause transition or because of Bilateral Oophorectomy.

Oophorectomy involves the removal of both your ovaries, if a single ovary is removed it is called unilateral oophorectomy, and when both the ovaries are removed it is called bilateral oophorectomy. When bilateral oophorectomy is performed on a woman before her menopause stage she can suffer from Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), this ovarian surgery and hormonal imbalance go hand in hand. It causes you early menopause and eliminates your chances of getting pregnant.

Once you go through the surgical primary ovarian therapy, you will start losing the essential hormones, especially estrogen. With a decrease in estrogen, women’s reproductive health is at risk, plus they are prone to harmful conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, cognitive decline, and osteoporosis (decrease in bone density). They can also be at risk of psychological conditions like depression, dry eye syndrome, and anxiety.

With the help of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), women can overcome all the risky conditions and improve their quality of life. Women with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency need reproductive health interventions to better their lifestyle.

Why is Hormone Replacement Therapy in Young Women So Rare?

Data was released from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial. They performed a study on elderly postmenopausal women, which showed the adverse risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). This involves an increase in the risk of breast cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. This study has suppressed women with POI and early menopause to go through Hormone Replacement Therapy, thinking it could be fatal.

This is rather unfortunate because if you look at the women who have normal menopause, the situation is far better than young women with POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency). Women with POI have a higher risk of estrogen deficiency than women with normal ovarian function.

Women with POI and early menopause are very much in need of Hormone Replacement Therapy, as this therapy will replace the hormones that would normally be present and are required for women’s reproductive health.

Women who are suffering from POI also suffer from disturbing menopausal symptoms like insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, decrease in sexual desire, pain during sexual intercourse, and dry vagina (lack of moisture), plus other symptoms like increased risk of fractures with decrease in bone density minerals, mood disorders, depression, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more.

What are Some Early Menopause Treatment Options?

Early menopause could be caused due to POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency), cancer treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy), and bilateral oophorectomy. If you are someone who’s diagnosed with early menopause, you may have reduced estrogen levels, which puts you at risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Early menopause treatment options include: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), also known as Menopausal Hormone Treatment (MHT).

When your estrogen levels decrease, this therapy can help in replacing the estrogen that should have been naturally present. Estrogen is very essential for our reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and vagina) to mature and it also helps in the development of breasts.

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) reduces the symptoms of early menopause and the chances of you suffering from health conditions caused due to early menopause. Your health provider will most probably recommend you to get Hormone Replacement Therapy until the age of menopause. In case you have breast cancer, you are not liable to take HRT or MHT. For such situations, your healthcare professional may suggest a different treatment option.

Conclusion

Hormone Replacement Therapy in young women with surgical primary ovarian insufficiency is necessary, though it has some benefits as well as risks. Talk with your doctor or nurse and know the advantages and disadvantages of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in young women. See if you are suitable for this therapy by talking with your healthcare professional or you can choose some other option.

We suggest you not opt for Hormone Replacement Therapy without any guidance, especially if you have breast cancer. It could be a risk to women’s reproductive health and could result in mortality.