FEB 6, 2025 | FEATURES | By Anonymous
Disclaimer: Cupid and I are not sex addicts. We are writing this column for the benefit of others because this idea was meant to be shared with the world (Colorado College).
I was changing my tampon the other day when Cupid reminded me how thankful I was to get my period, now more than ever.
I was excited for two reasons: One, I am not pregnant (even though I have been abstinent for 66 days!) and two, Valentine’s Day is next week (even though I do not plan on having sex because again, I’m abstinent).
With everything going on in the world, like not having the right to have an abortion in some states, and the fact that Valentine’s Day is next Friday, we — Cupid and I — think it is important to discuss the value of contraceptives.
There are many types of contraceptives, some more reliable than others, but nonetheless important to use when having sex.
The pill, consumed once a day to prevent pregnancy, is possibly the most widely known form of birth control. It’s about 93% effective, which means approximately seven out of 100 people get pregnant while taking the pill each year. More effective methods of contraception include a Nexplanon implant and an intrauterine device (IUD).
The Nexplanon implant is a small stick-type device inserted in a female’s arm that releases progestin into her body, preventing pregnancy. This form of contraception is about 99% effective.
The IUD is a small device that gets medically inserted into a female’s cervix to prevent pregnancy. It’s also about 99% effective. There are two types: hormonal and copper. They both prevent pregnancy but in different ways. The hormonal IUD releases hormones to thicken the uterine walls and stops the release of eggs from the ovaries, both preventing sperm from fertilizing an egg. The copper IUD is wrapped in copper and blocks sperm because they don’t like copper (who knew?).
Although they both prevent pregnancy, they can affect different people differently. The hormonal IUD is said to lighten or even stop periods, yet the copper IUD reportedly makes them heavier. In my experience (not Cupid’s, he’s a boy), the hormonal IUD has almost completely eliminated my period. In other cases, some females bleed for months straight after having theirs inserted.
Other forms of birth control, like condoms and internal condoms, can be helpful to prevent STDs and STIs but have a lower rate of effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. Methods like “pulling out” are a terrible way to prevent pregnancy (in Cupid’s and my opinion). If it has worked for you and your partner, that’s awesome, however, we do not advise it. There are risks associated with the pull-out method, including pre-cum and cumming before pulling out all the way. The only way to 100% prevent pregnancy is to be abstinent.
The morning-after pill, also known as Plan B, is an emergency contraception pill for pregnancy prevention. This contraceptive pill can be extremely helpful, although it can be quite expensive.
We want to highlight something we believe is very important: you do not need parental approval to obtain contraception like the pill, the implant or an IUD. There is a contraception pill sold over the counter by the brand Opill. Condoms and internal condoms are also sold in stores, including CC’s health and wellness center. To get other forms (implant, IUD, etc), you typically need to make an appointment with a gynecologist or at Planned Parenthood (I love you).
Contraception is extremely important to use when sexually active. Some forms can prevent STIs (read last week’s Sex and CC article for more information) as well as pregnancy while others solely protect against pregnancy.
Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope everyone has a LOVEly Valentine’s Day and is using contraception. Safe sex is good sex!
Please remember to practice safe sex between you and your partner!
If you or anyone you know is suffering from sexual violence or harassment, please follow these resources:
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
Campus Safety Emergency: (719) 389-6911