Page 8-Friday, April 6, 1979-The Michigan Daily
'U' AND WORKSHOPS PROVIDE INFORMATION
Birth control-no secret anymore
then the world's g6ing C
It happened to secretaries first. Then lawyers, bookkeepers, waltreS~$e
cabbies, housewives, and businessmen succumbed to the beauty of our
Pilot Razor Point and Fineliner pens.
Some people felt it was sick to get so emotionally involved with our
pens. But is it really so crazy to love a Pilot Razor Point pen that writes with
a sharp smooth line and costs a mere 79C? Is it nuts to flip over Its unique
little metal collar that smartly helps to keep its point from going squish?
If it is crazy, it's going to surprise a whole lot of people. In fact, we
understand that Pilot Razor Point even has what it takes to score extra
points with football players.
It also comes to our attention thatrmany
coaches are fans of the Pilot Fineliner.
Along with all the other Razor
Point featuresthe 69C
Pilot Fineliner has
the strength and
drive to go through carbons. P LOT
it's hard to resist a pen
that holds the line like a Pilot.
More hc just something to write W Hh.
By SARA ANSPACH
In your mother's day, the subject
was spoken of in whispers. Your older
sister and her friends spoke a little
louder, but their information was
minimal and what they knew was often
based on rumor.
Today, birth control is coming to be a
subject that everyone can talk about
openly. Here at the University con-
traceptives are cheap and available,
and residence halls are beginning to
host "sexuality" workshops, where-in
addition to lerning about birth con-
trol-students have a chance to discuss
the emotional aspect of becoming
sexually involved.
MANY STUDENTS come to the
Univesity tongue-tied about sexuality
and birth control. "I see a need for
more discussion," said Stockwell R.A.
Linda Dinger, who recently conducted
a two-day workshop on human
sexuality in her dorm. "Nine out of ten
times it's something that is not
discussed in the homes."
Next year Dinger would li e to see a
group that meets weekly or/bi-monthly
to discuss sexuality. "We'd be doing
some role-playing, where a situation is
read to people and they have to think
'what would I do if I were in that
position?"' she said.
The level of information about con-
traceptive methods is pretty high
among college women, but often there's,,
a need to discuss an emotional side of
sexual relationships. At the Stockwell
workshop, women discussed the social
norms that can inhibit couples from
using contraception.
"THERE'S THE myth that nice girls
don't even think about contracepting. It
involves accepting the fact you're
having intercourse," explained Dinger.
"Sometimes people feel, 'it hasn't hap-
pened yet, so I won't get-pregnant next
time' or 'I don't need to contracept
because I don't have intercourse that
often'."
"There's also a problem when you
are under stress. Your need for close
contact and intimacy may overcome
your fear of pregnancy," she added.
Dinger questioned if peer pressure to
be sexually active is real or imagined.
"If you stay all night at somebody's
house tonight are you expected to come
back with tales of ecstasy?" she said.
THE WORKSHOP at Stockwell
stresses communication between par-
tners. Who should -take the respon-
sibility for birth control and which
method is best are topics that the
couple should talk over together.
The student who decides to become
sexually active finds obtaining birth
control to be a relatively easy process.
University Health Service-the
cheapest place to go for a prescribed
contraception (.e. birth control pills,
IUD and diaphragm) -provides an in-
formative lecture, pelvic exam, routine
check up, breast exam, gonnorhea test
and special instruction classes for cer-
tain methods as part of its comprehen-
sive birth control package.
Everyone who wants contraception
from health service must attend a
mandatory two-hour lecture, given
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. on
the third floor of the Health Service
bulding. The attendance' is usually
small, although recently there have
been up to 20 people at the lecture,
perhaps, as one lecturer explained,
"because it's spring."
The lecture, given by volunteers who
have attended a workshop at Health
Service, goes through a brief discussion
of the male and female anatomy and
the menstrual cycle, and then focuses
on a variety of birth control methods.
As the lecturer is explaining the advan-
tages and disadvantages of each
method, contraceptives are passed
around for the audience to see. They
are encouraged to play with the" multi-
colored condoms available for inspec-
tion, and to smell a tasted variety of
foam, creams and jellies.
WITHDRAWAL AND rhythm, the
only two methods of contraception ac-
ceptable to the Catholic Church, are
dealt with briefly. With a 20 per cent
pregancy rate, withdrawal is con-
sidered risky, but "much better than
nothing at all," explained one lecturer.
People seriously interested in learning
the rhythm method are referred to
counselors at Health Service or Plan-
ned Parenthood.
A condom, an age-old method, when
combined with a contraceptive foam or
cream is quite effective with a
theoretical pregnancy rate of one per
cent. This combined method can be in-
corporated into the sex act and has no
adverse side effects cn the users. The
audience at the lecture is warned not to
use vaseline as a lubricant because it
corodes rubber, and to make sure the
foam or cream used is meant for con-
traception and is not another feminine
product.
The diaphragm is billed as a method
that requires more motivation and
mechanical ability. Health Service
won't fit a virgin because the size of her
cervix is likely to change after several
months of being sexually active.
Women who will be using a diaphragm
are required to attend a special class to
insure that they can insert their
diaphragm properly. The rate of
pregnancy is three per cent (as long as
the diaphragm is used every time)
and there are no side effects.
''II
that
'There'a a
myth
nice girls don't even think
1,1
0-.
about contracepting. It"
involves accepting the
fact that you're having in- 'A
tercourse.'
-Linda Dingier,
Stockwell R.A.
HEAVIER CRAMPS and flow during
the menstrual period, pelvic infections,
and perforation of the uterus are the
possible side effects Health Service 1.3
mentions about the Intrauterine device
(IUD). Its advantages are that it >
doesn't interrupt intercourse, and is
fairly effective, with a pregnancy rate
of one-to-three per cent, depending on
what type of IUD is inserted.
Birth control pills work by mimicking
the body's state of pregnancy. The
Health Service lectue explains that
they synthetic hormones introduced in-
to the bloodstream affect all parts of
the body, not just the reproductive
system. Studies indicate that it can
case blood clotting, liver tumors and a
list of other disorders. Possible side ef-
fects include a feeling of nausea,
depression, and other symptoms com-
mon to the early stages of pregnancy.
From a brighter perspective, the pill
is the most effective form of birth con-
trol with a pregnancy rate of .' per
cent. It doesn't interupt intercourse and
can cause its user to have lighter
periods with minimal cramps.
MOST LECTURERS don't mention
the costs of the different methods of
contraception. The pelvic exam is
$15.00 and the pap smear is $5.00. The
total cost of a diaphragm from Health
Service is $40.00, a three-month supply
of birth control pills is $26.00, and an
IUD ranges from $37.00 to $42.00 depen-
ding on the type.
Planned Parenthood in Ann Arbor
also offers contraceptives at slightly
higher prices for most items. They
provide the same care and education on
methods as Health Service does. Total
cost for a diaphragm is $36.00, a three
month supply of birth control pills is
$29.50 and IUD insertion can range
from $40.00 to $45.00.
A student only has to, wait a week for
an appointment at Health Service while
Planned Parenthood has a three week
wait list.