In today's society, the once taboo topic of sex is now a focus of the mainstream media. In the days of our elders, a story on contraceptives similar to today's would have never made the front page, if it was printed at all. In those times, editors and publishers would have feared threats from religious leaders and the public. Thanks to a changing society and our First Amendment, we can provide you with such "controversial" information to make educated decisions about your life.
The issue of whether or not to abstain from sex remains an ongoing debate. Many factors influence your decision, and over time, there's been a shift in the information provided to us. No longer are papers, classrooms and educators attempting to pull students on one side of the proverbial fence or the other, if for nothing else but to avoid religious interference.
Instead, they work to provide and distribute relevant information to adolescents and young adults in the midst of their unofficial sexual primes.
Allow us to point out the one extremely obvious fact that sexual intercourse can and does create other human beings. In the world of worries about sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and other health concerns, the scientific purpose of sex has taken a backseat.
For many, the issue of sex stems far beyond right or wrong instead focusing on the possible consequences and ways to avoid them. Among the worries are solutions and preventions such as condoms, medications, vasectomies and diaphragms.
Individual thoughts may vary, but many of today's contraceptives are, even with their failings, considered fairly trustworthy, including those approved by the federal government. Condoms, both male and female, remain the best protection against sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.
When it comes to birth control, medications such as the Plan B pill are merely 89 percent effective when used within 72 hours. As for the other 11 percent of the time, we all know what can happen.
That's exactly our point.
When dealing with any sort of medication, contraceptive or similar product, phrases such as "percent effective," "used properly," "right conditions" and "fail rate" should tip users off to the possible problems they could encounter. As a whole, they stand for one undisputable fact about contraceptives: They can and do fail.
Other side effects include health issues in women who take medication. A study released last year showed that females who injected the Food and Drug Administration approved Depo-Provera into their systems were at risk for loss of bone density. Such loss put those women at a higher risk of osteoporosis, according to the FDA's Web site.
This is not an attempt to push abstinence, nor is it an effort to encourage sexual activity. At the end of the day, sex is a personal decision. Instead, we're just suggesting one thing.
Make an informed decision, whatever you do.
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