Patching Up the Problems in Women’s Sexual Health and Pregnancy

Patching Up the Problems in Women’s Sexual Health and Pregnancy

One of the lesser known pregnancy prevention products available is called the birth control patch. The birth control patch is a thin, beige square patch that sticks to the skin. By releasing hormones through the skin into the bloodstream, this birth control method would help prevent pregnancy. By combining the hormones called progesterone and estrogen, the patch prevents ovulation or the release of an egg from the ovaries during a woman’s monthly menstruation. The hormones in the patch also thickens the mucus produced in the cervix, making it difficult for sperm to enter and reach any eggs that may have been released.

Similar to other forms of birth control such as the birth control pill or ring, the user works on the birth control patch based on her menstrual cycle. Normally, the girl puts the patch on the first day of her menstrual cycle, or the first Sunday after her cycle begins. She will then place the patch on her skin once a week for three weeks straight. This patch should be applied to either of the following: buttocks, abdomen, upper arm, or upper torso. On its fourth week, no...