“Birth control f*cking sucks” Is typically not something you’d hear from anyone trying to not get pregnant on accident. The reality of it is that it really does f*cking suck. I guess it has some benefits to it—for example, not conceiving, and having lighter periods. Those are the big facts that everyone talks to you about before you’re sitting in the doctor's office for the first time. Then in smaller letters on the bottom of a pamphlet they hand you is a list of side effects you hear you might get, but your conscious mind tells you that you won’t. Vomiting, nausea, weight gain, acne, and backaches are some of the few on that list. Let’s not forget what happens if you forget to take the pill one single day out of the whole cycle.

The realistic part is that most people are excited to get on birth control at the beginning until they realize the horrifying side of it. The chances of one getting pregnant while on birth control is also a lot higher than one might think. The effectiveness of the pill according to Medical News Today is 91%, approximately one out of 100 women who take the pill become pregnant in a year. All IUDs (Intrauterine Devices) have similar failure rates. If an IUD is not placed correctly at a doctor’s office, it can perforate your uterus, increase bleeding, and even become expelled. Although it’s one of the most effective forms of birth control, It actually isn’t recommended for use unless you’ve had a previous pregnancy. The pain level increases during insertion if you choose to have it placed before having a child.

The depo shot is another option, but let’s face it, most people don’t want to be injected every three months, and as soon as you miss a dose, it’s game over. Or you can choose to get an implant and have a foreign item most likely placed in your arm for a few years.

However, there aren’t many choices when it comes to protection that will certainly protect you from an unplanned pregnancy, especially options that don’t interfere with day-to-day life, whether that be emotionally, physically, painfully, and more. Although birth control is seen as the normal way that individuals can prevent pregnancy, there are a few others that don’t interfere with the uterine bodily functions.

Vasectomies are a form of pregnancy prevention that isn’t normalized or talked about as often as they should. It involves the sealing of the tubes to prevent sperm from passing through. This procedure is a one-time act unless the individual wants to reverse it. It does not affect the overall mood or physical or mental health of the individual undergoing it and has over 99% effectiveness. Much like the insertion of an IUD, a vasectomy might cause temporary pain; however, its effectiveness is higher, and it does not release hormones or substances into the human body.

It has taken many years to normalize birth control. Preventing pregnancy has never been so painful and difficult on the human body, both physically and mentally—pain, weight gain, acne, and nausea, to name a few. It’s time to now normalize other forms of prevention such as vasectomies. Next time your friend is questioning whether or not to get on birth control, don’t forget to mention how much it f*cking sucks.

Plan A and B