herbs and spices

Natural and herbal methods of birth control

Contraception can often be a catch 22 situation because it can be the smart choice for many people who aren’t interested or prepared in having children, but some methods of birth control can be unnatural and can present negative side effects. This can lead many people to seek other methods of birth control, such as the use of herbal remedies to prevent pregnancy, which are more suitable to existing health conditions or just that are more healthy in general.

Side effects of birth control pills

For example, birth control pills can increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, stroke, and heart attack. There are many groups of people who are recommended to avoid birth control pills, including those who are obese, those who are on certain medications, anyone with a history of blood clots, people who are prone to migraines, and more.

Birth control pills have been shown to slightly increase the chances of breast cancer as well and using the pill for extended periods of time is not recommended.

Other birth control methods

Furthermore, other forms of birth control can be either expensive, permanent, or can last longer than some couples would consider ideal. Intrauterine devices and hormonal implants last a minimum of 3 years, which can be too much of a time commitment for some.

And similarly, sterilization is a permanent decision that many couples aren’t in the position to go through with. In addition to the commitment, many medical procedures that prevent pregnancy can be a large financial commitment.

Condoms are always an option but aren’t the most natural form of contraception and some people can have complications with latex allergies. So, as you can see, there are many reasons why a couple could seek more natural and alternative forms of birth control. In addition to using herbal remedies to prevent pregnancy, we’ll cover a few of these methods in this article so that you can get an idea of what method might be best for your situation.

Without contraception, the chance that couples will get pregnant within a year is 86% and can be even higher for younger couples or those who have conditions that make them more fertile, such as a higher sperm counts, more mobile sperm or having intercourse during a period when the woman is more fertile due to her cycle.

Natural methods of birth control

Withdrawal, or the “pull out” method, is when the penis is pulled out of the vagina prior to ejaculation. This method lowers the risk of pregnancy to 22%. This method can be easier said than done, since timing it right can be difficult for some couples, and even if the withdrawal is successful, it still doesn’t ensure that you won’t get pregnant.

The basal body temperature tactic is when a woman checks her temperature each morning. When a woman’s ovary produces an egg, her body temperature will drop 1-degree Fahrenheit half a day to a day before, so a drop in body temperature could indicate fertility. If you observe this temperature change and don’t want to conceive, then you should avoid intercourse during this time for two to three days.

Herbal methods for birth control

In addition to these natural forms of monitoring fertility, there are herbal methods that can help to naturally lower your risk of pregnancy. Many people view these herbal solutions as being more healthy than hormonal treatments or chemical forms of birth control.

Many who are proponents of natural forms of birth control recommend using these herbal supplements in addition to a lambskin condom to make for the lowest possible chance of pregnancy while maintaining natural methods.

Stoneseed root

These herbal methods include the stoneseed root, which was used by many Native American tribes, mixed in a cold drink or via smoking to encourage permanent sterilization. The Native Americans that implemented this method would take this root daily for a period of six months, with sterility coming thereafter.

Although there haven’t been any recent studies done on the stoneseed root, in 1945 the US Department of Agriculture, through pharmacological research, confirmed that the plant was useful as a method of birth control. There have been other studies done on animals since then, which all yielded positive contraceptive results, but nothing has been conducted on humans since the USDA study in 1945.

Milk thistle

In addition to the stoneseed root, Native Americans also used thistle to become infertile. Milk thistle was brought to North America by European settlers and was adopted thereafter by the Native Americans. Milk thistle has been used in many different contexts, including for liver and kidney damage, but also for infertility.

There is no recent research to confirm whether milk thistle can be an effective form of contraception, but if you’re interested you should seek testimonials online to determine for yourself if it is a viable option.

Wild carrot

Women in specific regions of India have used wild carrot seed immediately after intercourse to prevent conception. After taking the wild carrot seed immediately after sex, they continue to consume a teaspoon daily for the next week.

A recent study has been conducted on the history and effectiveness of the wild carrot seed as a method of birth control, the contraception qualities of wild carrot seed were confirmed, although the reason behind why conception is prevented is still unknown. Further research is continuing.

Ginger

Those who subscribe to natural healing methods say that drinking one quart of ginger tea daily for up to 5 days can force menstruation. Alternatively, you can also combine a teaspoon of ginger with 6 ounces of boiling water to deliver the same result as ginger tea. Women who are confirmed pregnant are recommended to avoid ginger due to its ability to lead to miscarriages. There are many benefits of ginger tea and preventing pregnancy can be one of these.

Apricot kernels

If you’re tracking your menstrual cycle and are aware that you’ll be ovulating in the near future, apricot kernels can be an option for birth control for you. They can reduce the chances of fertilization immediately after ovulation.

Taking apricot kernels outside of immediately before intercourse or immediately prior to ovulation won’t help you to prevent pregnancy, so you’ll have to make sure to have your timing right for this one.

Rue herb

Rue herb teas have been shown to prevent implantation of sperm by decreasing the capillary permeability in the uterus. The suggested amount of rue tea to successfully keep sperm from swimming to fertility is a cup of boiling water with two tablespoons of rue herb. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to release necessary compounds and drink it two to three times daily in the event of an unplanned pregnancy to induce abortive effects.

Avoid taking too much at once, since over three tablespoons at once can have negative effects on the nervous system and can cause kidney complications.

Buckwheat herb

Similar to the abortive effects of rue herb, buckwheat herb can prevent implantation of the sperm. It does this by creating an adrenaline event where the uterus doesn’t provide essential nutrition to already fertilized eggs. For best results, you should consume the buckwheat herb before and after intercourse.

The best part of buckwheat herb is that there are no known side effects of it, aside from the fact that you should avoid it before any surgeries, which is contrary to many of the other natural remedies that can come with asterisks attached. You can consume buckwheat herb in many meals that you already eat, such as oatmeal. Since there aren’t any negative side effects, it can’t hurt to take buckwheat herb just on the chance that it is a legitimate contraceptive.

Ascorbic acid

Surprisingly, one of the most common vitamins can have contraceptive properties. That vitamin would be vitamin C. That’s right, vitamin C contains ascorbic acid, which can prevent the effectiveness and prevalence of progesterone, which has the main job of maintaining pregnancy.

You shouldn’t consume too much vitamin C, however, since that can have negative implications and can make you sick. Some medical professionals also advise against using vitamin C tablets for contraception, so you should get a second opinion from a gynecologist before taking vitamin C for birth control.

Final thoughts: Herbal Remedies to Prevent Pregnancy

As you can see there are many natural forms of contraception that have been used for a long time, some of them have been used for centuries or longer. However, you might have also noticed that there isn’t a lot of research behind these natural and herbal forms of contraception, although many have been confirmed to have contraceptive effects. But some come with the risk of negative side effects and others have very little information around them altogether.

For this reason, you should consult your doctor before going on any of these herbal remedies to prevent pregnancy to ensure that it will work well for you and to make sure that there aren’t any alternative methods of birth control that are doctor-recommended and possibly more effective, healthier, and maybe just as natural. Medical professionals should have the inside track on what methods work the best and which ones you should avoid. Above all, be safe and research any methods you consider well.