Modicon BC + Condoms + Ovulation watch

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Modicon BC + Condoms + Ovulation watch
3
Mon, 08-16-2004 - 2:14am
Hi all!

I'm 19 in PA. I just started taking Modicon B.C. last month and my bf(monogamous and STD-free) and I have been using condoms just to be safe. I just started my new pack and have been doing some research on watching ovulation. Does anyone know about the effectiveness of using birth control and then not using condoms on non-fertile days, Then using condoms(still on birth control) on fertile days. (up to 6 days before the most fertile day and 3 days after). It's confusing to explain but does it make sense to anyone and does it sound effective? Thanks!

Danielle

www.talentmatch.com/danielleleagrady

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 08-16-2004 - 8:10am
#1--You do not ovulate when you're on the pill! A very very small number of women will have breakthrough ovulation, but the primary means of contraception is ovulation suppression. So there are no fertile days! For more information, please read the post in the FAQ's about how the pill works--the other posts in that folder are good reading too!

I've been trying to reason out the use of condoms or another backup method of birth control at the same time as use of the pill or the patch or the ring or any other very effective form of birth control, and I can't get it to logically make sense to me. Sure it makes people feel more comfortable because it's birth control they can see, but statistically, you can't combine the effectiveness of one with the other to make for 100% effectiveness.

Let's say that you're using the condoms in case the pill fails. If the pill does fail, then the effectiveness of your birth control method is exactly that of a condom (about 95%). If the pill doesn't fail, then the effectiveness is that of the pill (99.5%), but use of one does not improve the use of the other, sooo.... (I only use condoms if I have reason to believe that my protection is compromised, whether by use of certain prescription drugs or missed pills, etc.)

One analogy that I've been thinking of is fixing a chair. You put glue between the pieces and then you nail them together. Does that make for a stronger joint? Not really--if the glue fails, you're relying on the strength of the nail, the nail doesn't make the glue stronger. So the strength of that joint is only as strong as the stronger of the two fasteners, no matter what you do.

If you are taking the pill only for birth control purposes and you don't trust that the pill will protect you, why bother taking it? If you need to -see- your birth control, why not just keep using condoms if you're going to use them anyway and save yourself some money? And that being said...if you feel more comfortable using condoms with the pill, by all means do it! It's totally your choice as to what you do to make yourself feel comfortable!


Edited 8/16/2004 11:33 am ET ET by cl-judie_rae

Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Mon, 08-16-2004 - 7:40pm
Yea, I've been looking at it that way too. My gyno told me you should ALWAYS use a condom even if you are on birth control or not(even in a std free monogamous relationship)! Why would she say this???? I guess thats what has given me the scare that the pill isnt as effective as they say it is.

Danielle

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 08-17-2004 - 8:11am
HPV you can't always test for because it can be dormant for a period of time before any symptoms become evident, and it's really hard to find in men! It is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseasee, though, and certain strains of the virus can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated (why yearly paps are important even for women not on the pill or women not currently sexually active).

There's always the possibility, in some doctors' minds, that a monogamous relationship may not always be monogamous. I've had a doctor ask me before if I trusted that my bf wasn't cheating on me!

If it were me, I might probe into that one a little deeper if I was curious enough about it--if your doctor doesn't trust that the pill works, why doesn't she come right out and say so? Why did she prescribe it for you if she didn't think it worked (which goes against a lot of research and history)? As her patient, you'd think that would be important enough to her to tell you, but maybe she's just concerned about latent STD's or a wandering boyfriend.

Good luck, do what makes you comfortable!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control