How to Avoid Pregnancy Naturally

Childbirth is the most fantastic moment in a woman's life. The feeling of motherhood is unmatched, and the entire pregnancy period prepares you for life you will experience. Having a child completely changes your life, so it is essential to plan your pregnancy. An unplanned pregnancy can take a toll on a woman's body's physical and mental health and significantly affect this experience.

The Concept of Contraceptives

Contraceptives are the safest and most effective way of avoiding pregnancy. They are developed especially to help people practice safe sex and stay away from sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STIs and STDs) and unwanted pregnancies. Contraceptives may be physical, like condoms, oral, like pills, or hormonal.

The Best Contraceptive

Condoms are considered the safest contraceptive to avoid unwanted pregnancies as they physically refrain the sperm from reaching the egg, fertilizing, and reaching the uterus, causing the woman to get pregnant.

The Natural Ways to Avoid Pregnancy

Apart from medical contraceptives, there also exist many natural ways to avoid pregnancy. However, they are not guaranteed to prevent pregnancy, as little to no research exists on the effectiveness of natural prevention methods. They are as follows:

Don't Ejaculate in the Vagina

The best way to avoid pregnancy naturally is to prevent ejaculation in the vagina. The sperms, when ejaculated in the vagina, travel to the fallopian tube to fertilize the egg and cause pregnancy. This way, the sperm won't reach the egg and minimize the chances of pregnancy.

Keep Track of Your Menstrual Cycle

Women usually ovulate a week after their period ends. They are at their most fertile stage from 7-14 days after their period ends, and the chances of getting pregnant are the highest in this window. Try avoiding intercourse during this period or use proper contraceptives to prevent pregnancy.

The Use of other Methods

Apart from the methods mentioned above, there are other ways of avoiding pregnancy. They are as follows:

Fruits: There are various fruits that help avoid pregnancy naturally. Eating pineapples, papaya, or juniper berries (kaala jamun) for three days after unprotected sex significantly lowers the chances of getting pregnant. The enzymes from these fruits are known to hamper the fertilization of the egg and avoid pregnancy.
Spices: Apart from fruits, a few spices like ginger, cinnamon, and asafoetida (heeng) help prevent pregnancy. However, these spices take time to work and must be consumed longer to avoid pregnancy. Mix a teaspoon of ginger, cinnamon, or hing powder in a glass of water and drink it daily. These spices raise the temperature of the body. The body temperature has to stay only a little higher for fertilization to occur, and the regular consumption of these spices would thus help avoid pregnancy. However, women should note that one must not consume these spices during the menstrual cycle as the body temperature should not be high when women menstruate.
Herbs: Herbs like neem and thyme also help avoid pregnancy. They are considered one of the safest and most reliable methods of preventing pregnancy through natural methods. It is believed that consuming neem orally through leaves or oil can destroy the sperm and thus avoid pregnancy. Thyme, too, is known to help prevent pregnancy.
Vitamin C Tablets: Consuming high doses of vitamin C tablets is also known to help avoid pregnancy. Vitamin C directly affects the secretion of the progesterone hormone, which prepares the mucous membrane lining the uterus for pregnancy. The reduced levels of progesterone may affect the mucous membrane and make it difficult to conceive and avoid pregnancy.

Pregnancy and childbirth are among the most significant moments of a woman's life. These moments must be planned and not occur out of the blue. They change the life of a woman, both physically and mentally. Sometimes pregnancy and childbirth may endanger the lives of the woman and her baby or, worse, take their lives. It is strictly advised that proper medicinal contraceptives be taken to practice safe sex and avoid STIs. These methods, along with appropriate contraceptives, can be used simultaneously to ensure maximum protection against unwanted pregnancies.