In the Netflix original series Big Mouth, Season 2, Episode 5 (“The Planned Parenthood Show”), there’s a bachelorette-style skit called “Miss Conception” in which Leah is on the hunt to “find the perfect contraceptive”. Matthew presents her with six choices: condoms, the pill, the implant, a diaphragm, an IUD, or the pull-out method.
The skit goes into the pros and cons of each method before Leah is ultimately instructed by her mom that she will go on the pill and use condoms.
The episode was funny, as always, but left out my personal contraceptive choice. It’s a worthy contraceptive option that I feel should’ve been represented: the patch.
The patch is a small square you put on your body once a week for 3 weeks before getting a week off and repeating. According to Planned Parenthood, “it releases hormones that prevent pregnancy.” It works similarly to a pill in that it releases estrogen and progestin to stop ovulation. It additionally “thickens the mucus on your cervix” to make it harder for sperm to get to the egg. Also, like the pill, it does not prevent STDs. It’s recommended to still use condoms to help prevent pregnancy and STDs.
Basically, the patch works like the pill except you only have to worry about it once a week, not at the same time every day. It’s a viable option of birth control that doesn’t get as much attention in the media as it should.