Posted by For my STEAM project, I studied the effects that oral contraceptives have on the female reproductive system. For my art piece, I wanted it to resemble a lifestyle magazine.
Oral Contraceptives and the Reproductive System
For my STEAM project, I studied the effects that oral contraceptives have on the female reproductive system. For my art piece, I wanted it to resemble a lifestyle magazine.
Our society tends to look down on women who conceive a child before getting married, before turning 18, and before being financially stable. Judgmental looks and fake smiles commonly can be found after one of those pregnancy announcements. Many other women consume contraceptives because their lifestyles are not fit for a child or they are physically not ready. Because many women would prefer the enjoyment of an intimate relationship without the stress of conception, they turn to contraceptives. According to the CDC, about 14% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 use oral contraceptives.
This form of birth control is the most known and used among younger women because it’s easy to attain and not noticeable by peers or parents. The proper use can lead to avoidance of pregnancy because the hormones administered causes the uterus to block sperms and decrease ovulation cycles.
Similar to skincare products and menstruation materials, many do not know how to properly administer them. Most will not be told the difference between combined pills (the hormones estrogen and progestin in the pill) and the Progestin-only pills. They may not be educated on the fact that some pills need to be taken once a day, while others require multiple daily consumptions.
These hormones that are constantly being added to their system can cause issues within the reproductive system. Alyssa has created a front cover for a lifestyle magazine as a visual aid, which is meant to provide information for onlookers. Under the title of Birth Control + the Reproductive System, we can see an oversized pink tray of oral contraceptives (oversized for onlooker’s understanding) and a reasonably sized uterus in front of the contraceptives. A few strategically placed, eye-catching sentences are found around the border of the paper. These are meant to draw your attention to the magazine and hopefully entice you to flip through the inner pages for further information.
Sources:
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/birth-control-pill/how-do-i-use-the-birth-control-pill
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/contraceptive.htm