Week 6/Ch. 5

I don’t know about you guys, but this chapter made me feel like I was back in middle school sitting through an uncomfortable health class. This chapter tackled some tough and awkward topics. However hard to talk about they may be, they are super important! A lot of us are blossoming into young adults, meaning we are thinking about the future. This future may include children and it may not. Some of you may already have children which would make you an expert on this week’s reading! Most females in our class are probably currently on some sort of contraception, or at least have discussed it with their doctors. And to the boys out there, this is just as important for you. Although it may seem like much of it has more to do with females than males, you do still play a huge part in the process, and this is what your girlfriends, sisters, mothers, daughters, etc go through.

I’m going to be 23 and I have been on hormonal birth control (the pill) for about 5 years now, so I know a lot about it. I have also thought a lot about what my future will look like in regards to having children. My boyfriend and I have both expressed wanting children so I know this is something I need to consider heavily. This chapter was so informative. I learned a lot of new things, and also was able to expand my knowledge on a lot of things I was already familiar with.

From the moment you become sexually active, to the moment you decide to have kids, and then the moment you decide you no longer want to reproduce, there is A LOT that goes on. You have to decide which contraception method works best for both you and your partner, as far as protecting against not only pregnancy but STDs as well. Then, if you and your partner decide you want children, you should talk to your doctor about stopping your contraception methods, and things you can do to help support your body in the pursuit of conceiving. This could be a simple process, or a hard one. Many people struggle with infertility or other issues getting pregnant. Miscarriages and stillbirths are a risk one faces when trying to have a child. For a pregnancy to be successful, prenatal and postpartum care are incredibly important.

On the darker side of things, someone may get pregnant who cannot keep the child for a various number of reasons. Abortions options are available in those instances. Also, for someone who has unprotected sex and doesn’t wish to get pregnant, emergency contraception pills are available without a prescription. Pregnancy is very emotionally and physically taxing on a woman’s body. Suffering a miscarriage can be traumatizing. However, even with a successful birth, the postpartum stage can be very scary. In this stage it is important to seek help and take care of your body and mind. When someone decides they no longer want to be able to reproduce, there are also surgical options for both men and women. So, thankfully, in this process there are many options. Under most health care, all the things discussed are actually quite affordable. I personally do not pay a dime for my birth control. There are many options for help and assistance, and if you have a doctor you like and trust, and also a partner you trust, that’s half the battle.

Having children, or even thinking about having children, is a scary yet wonderful thing. I personally think it’s amazing what our bodies are capable of and what resources are available to us out there. As a young women, I personally can’t wait to start trying to have children and one day become a mother.