Planning a pregnancy is not only preparing for pregnancy (pregnancy program), but also delaying pregnancy and regulating the birth spacing between children.
If you are one of those who want to delay, there is no harm in trying to consume foods that prevent pregnancy.
There are many reasons why couples want to postpone pregnancy. Starting from mental readiness to financial.
Apart from birth control , parents can also consume certain foods as a natural contraceptive.
However, it is important to remember that these types of foods are not effective in preventing pregnancy. Some foods even require further research to find out the truth of their effectiveness.
Therefore,ParentsIt is recommended to use medical contraception or emergency contraception to effectively prevent pregnancy.
Natural Pregnancy Prevention Foods
1. Ginger
As a herbal plant that has many health benefits, ginger can also facilitate menstruation. Therefore, ginger is believed to be a food that prevents pregnancy.
A mixture of ginger water and honey can be consumed every day to maintain health and is believed to be able to delay pregnancy.
If you are not planning to get pregnant, it is recommended to drink a strong ginger tea concoction every day after having sex without contraception.
2. Papaya
This fruit, which is often used as a laxative, contains an enzyme calledpapain. This enzyme is believed to suppress progesterone so that it can reduce the chances of pregnancy after intercourse.
It should be remembered that the papaya consumed to prevent pregnancy is unripe papaya.
Husbands can also eat papaya to reduce sperm count. Don’t worry, once your husband stops eating papaya, his sperm count will return to normal.
3. Pineapple
This yellow fruit has long been known as a pregnancy preventative. Pineapples are believed to be an implantation prevention agent, an abortifacient, and are embryotoxic.
Just like papaya, the pineapple that is believed to be able to prevent pregnancy is young pineapple.
If sperm has already entered, young pineapple can be consumed for 2-3 days after sex.
Pineapples are even effective in preventing pregnancy after a late period because they can soften the cervix if consumed in large quantities.
4. Apricots are foods that prevent pregnancy
Couples can use this fruit that tastes similar to lychee to prevent pregnancy. Consume dried apricots immediately after intercourse.
If fertilization has already occurred, apricots will not provide any benefits.
The method is to boil a mixture of 100 grams of dried apricots, two tablespoons of honey and a cup of water for 20 minutes and drink it regularly.
Or you can also consume 5 to 10 apricot seeds a day after sexual intercourse until you get your period.
5. Cinnamon
Apart from ginger, this spice can also be used as an alternative to prevent pregnancy.
Cinnamon is believed to stimulate uterine contractions and can facilitate menstruation, so it is believed to be effective in preventing pregnancy.
Keep in mind, cinnamon does not work instantly. So it must be consumed regularly for a long period of time.
6. Wild Yam
The next food to prevent pregnancy is wild yam or also called forest yam or uwi.
Wild yam can help relieve menstrual cramps, spasms, uterine pain, and ovarian pain mainly due to its antispasmodic properties.
This plant is believed to be a synthetic progesterone like that used in birth control pills.
Progesterone is a very important hormone during pregnancy, but in high doses progesterone can prevent ovulation.
7. Neem leaves
Neem leaves are a famous herbal plant from India and are believed to be an anti-fertility herb.
Neem leaf extract is believed to inhibit reproductive function, especially in men. Neem leaves are believed to prevent sperm formation, making them effective in preventing pregnancy.
The way to use it is by injecting neem oil into the uterus. This will work to kill sperm within 30 seconds. While the neem tablet itself can increase temporary sterility in men.
8. Parsley leaves
Parsley, which we usually use in the kitchen, can also prevent pregnancy. Consuming parsley in large quantities is believed to cause uterine contractions.
The important thing to know is that parsley can prevent pregnancy without causing any side effects.
9. Figs
Known to improve blood circulation, figs can also be used as one of the best birth control methods.
The way is to consume 2-3 dried figs a day after having sex. However, do not overeat, because it can cause the stomach to become bloated.
10. Pennyroyal (Spearmint)
Pennyroyal is a plant whose leaves and the oil it contains are often used to make medicine.
Although its safety is questionable, pennyroyal is often used to treat colds, pneumonia, fatigue, as an insect repellent, and to prevent pregnancy.
To prevent pregnancy, pennyroyal leaves are usually added to tea and drunk in small doses. There is some scientific evidence that pennyroyal oil can prevent pregnancy by causing the uterus to contract.
However, the doses needed to prevent pregnancy can be toxic to the body or cause lifelong kidney and liver damage. Consult a doctor before taking this herb.
11. Cotton Root Bark (Cotton Root Bark)
Cotton root and cotton plant are known as Gossypium herbaceum. Cotton root bark, inner bark, and cotton seeds are often used as herbal medicine.
Cotton root bark is a traditional medicine used to aid childbirth and as a medicine to regulate irregular menstruation and menstrual pain.
In ancient societies, pregnant women took cotton root bark to increase uterine contractions, to expel tissue debris after childbirth, and to help stimulate breast milk production.
Cotton root bark is also often taken to treat difficulties experienced during menopause.
Additionally, cotton root bark is currently used as a male contraceptive in China because it is said to paralyze sperm.
Cotton root bark is thought to inhibit sperm production without affecting overall fertility.
Cotton root bark when dried is a contraceptive herb. Dried cotton root, when drunk as a tea or boiled in water, is believed to stimulate the release of the hormone oxytocin which prevents pregnancy.
12. Queen Anne’s Lace (Wild Carrot Seed)
Queen Anne’s Lace or wild carrot seeds can prevent egg implantation by interfering with progesterone synthesis.
Queen Anne’s Lace is not a contraceptive because it does not prevent ovulation, ejaculation, or fertilization and is not an abortion pill because it does not interfere with a healthy early pregnancy.
Instead, this herb works by ‘interfering’ with the normal hormonal changes in the body that would promote and develop a healthy endometrial lining for pregnancy to implant.
This condition makes the uterus unfriendly to growing a pregnancy so it can prevent pregnancy.
The seeds should be consumed immediately after unprotected sex for up to seven days. The plant can also be drunk as a decoction or tea. Mild side effects such as constipation may follow its use.
13. Blue and Black Cohosh
Black cohosh ( Actaea racemose ) is a woodland plant native to North America. Its roots are used medicinally and are often used for estrogen-related conditions.
In some parts of the body, black cohosh may increase the effects of estrogen. In other parts of the body, it may decrease the effects of estrogen.
While blue cohosh is a flowering shrub native to North America, blue and black cohosh are two different plants.
Blue cohosh is commonly used to stimulate the uterus and initiate labor and menstruation, treat inflammation of the uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease, and overgrowth of uterine tissue (endometriosis).
It is thought that blue cohosh may have effects similar to the hormone estrogen. It can also narrow the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart which can reduce oxygen to the heart.
The combination of blue and black cohosh will stimulate the release of the hormone oxytocin which causes contraction of the uterine wall and prevents pregnancy.
However, it is important to consult a doctor about the dosage that can be taken. Consume it in the form of a brewed concoction to prevent pregnancy.
14. Citrus or Orange Fruits
Citrus fruits such as lemon and guava are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is also believed to be a natural contraceptive food because pure vitamin C is most recommended to avoid pregnancy.
Pure vitamin C can also be taken as a supplement. Take 2 doses of vitamin C (500 mg) up to 3 days after unprotected sex.
However, avoid taking pure vitamin C in these 2 doses if pregnancy is confirmed.
15. Juniper Berries
Juniper berries are believed by Indian people to help prevent pregnancy after sex.Parentscan consume it for 3 consecutive days after unprotected sex to stop pregnancy.
Juniper’s effects on the uterus are known to interfere with fertility, so it should be avoided if you are trying to conceive. Juniper berries also reduce the chances of urinary tract infections and kidney stones.
16. Asafoetida
Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) is the dried resin obtained from the roots of the Ferula plant. It is usually dried, ground into a coarse yellow powder, and used for culinary or medicinal purposes.
Drinking asafoetida juice with water every month is believed to prevent fertilization and avoid pregnancy after sex naturally.
Although research is limited, asafoetida may offer several other health benefits such as being a good source of antioxidants, being good for digestion, may help lower blood pressure, protect brain health, and relieve asthma symptoms.
What Drinks Prevent Pregnancy After Unprotected Sex?
According to WebMD , there are several drinks that are believed to have effects like contraception. However, only a few studies support these claims. Some types of drinks that are believed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex are:
- Neem Leaves
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Mango Seeds
- Soda
However, this list of drinks does not guarantee that it can prevent pregnancy.
You are still advised to use medical contraception to prevent pregnancy if you want to delay having children.
What Things Can Prevent Fertilization?
To prevent fertilization from succeeding, you can use emergency contraception to reduce the risk of fertilization.
You can also consult an obstetrician to get the best contraceptive methods or recommendations to delay pregnancy.
How to Avoid Pregnancy If Sperm Has Already Entered?
If you have sex and sperm has already entered, you can use emergency contraception such as the Copper-T IUD or the pill. Using emergency contraception can reduce the chances of pregnancy, although it is not 100 percent effective in preventing fertilization.
Those are some types of pregnancy prevention foods for couples who are postponing pregnancy. Make sure not to consume them excessively, because anything excessive is certainly not good.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
