Here’s a little statistic that will make your head spin:
According to a new study, 17 percent of teens have used the rhythm method for birth control, and the number is growing day by day. For those who don’t know, the rhythm method is a form of birth control in which women time when they have sex based on when they’re at their most infertile stages. Apparently, since 2002, the statistic for the rhythm method as a form of birth control has risen a whole 6 percent.

Uh…. wha?!
This is not Juno – this is real life!

According to Joyce Abma, the social scientist at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the rhythm method doesn’t work 25% of the time. That’s one quarter of the time for all you non-math people. So, you try the whole rhythm thing four times and it’s only going to work for three.

Now, those odds aren’t terrible, but why would anyone take a chance on something that is only 75% effective  when there are other very effective forms of birth control, such as condoms and the pill (which have much higher success rates), out there? That’s like wearing a baseball cap to ride a bike instead of opting for a helmet!

I’d understand if condoms and birth control pills weren’t invented and the rhythm method was the only effective form of birth control. But, hello, those were invented! And for a reason, that reason being they work better. Seriously, in a day when teen pregnancies are on the rise, it is crucial to be smart about birth control. And being smart is choosing a birth control option that has a 99% chance of being effective, not one that only has 75% chance.

To me, the rhythm method seems like a game of chance. The problem with knowing when you are or are not ovulating is that there’s a high chance for human errors (we’re not doctors, after all). And with one tiny error, comes one tiny baby.

The resources are out there for proper birth control and they’re not hard to find. Why gamble on your future (and the potential future of a child) when you don’t have to?

Liam Hemsworth might be single, ladies!

What’s wrong with Zac Efron?!

This might explain the origins of 16 and Pregnant.

Look cool in hot weather.

Looks like there might be some mini-Mariah’s running around soon.

That’s one way to override a SCRAM bracelet, Lilo…

And, what if I told you it involved no pills, shots, or weird, granola-hippie “herbal” treatments?

Well ladies, it’s certainly a possibilty…and while it sounds like a dream come true for those of us held prisoner by Tic-Tac-sized pills, I’m not entirely convinced that I can get down while free and clear of all worry. What is this magical device?

Meet the Lady Comp, the one thing on Earth you’ll have to trust more than God. That is, if you dont want mini-me’s running all over the place. It works by recording your temperature upon waking up in the morning, and from the readings, will detect whether or not you are ovulating. Green = go. Red = YOU’LL GET PREGNANT!! DON’T DO IT!!

It sounds incredible. No more bloating, loss of sex drive (which defeats the purpose of BC), acne, and the other millions of side effects birth control usually boasts. But isn’t this esentially the Rhythm Method?

I mean, there is science to back up the claims that you’re internal body temperature rises when you’re ovulating, but I can just hear the voice of the school nurse, my doctor…and yes, my mother telling me I’m crazy for even considering this all-natural, all-faith option.

But like most things that are natural and free of body-harming chemicals, it’s not available in the U.S.. Damn.

Looks like I’ll have to play it (really) safe until Lady Comp goes mainstream.