Can salt and water prevent pregnancy naturally? this is a one million dollar question people have been asking around for years now. So let’s see if it actually works.
Many couples desire to have kids but want to do so only when they are ready and have made the right plans.
Some women use birth control pills or other methods to avoid getting pregnant, while others have used unconventional methods.
As a result, there have been many claims regarding preventing pregnancy among women, and one of them is can salt and water prevent pregnancy naturally.
Before you decide to gulp down that salt solution, read this article to know if it truly works and if there are attendant health implications.
Salt and water solution
Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is an ionic compound with a base and an acid. An ionic compound is made when an acid and a base react to neutralize each other.
It is made up of about 40% sodium and 60% chloride and is the main mineral found in seawater, where it is found in large amounts. Animals and humans can’t live without salt.
Salt is necessary and can be used for a lot of things. It adds flavor to food and is used to preserve food. This is because bacteria can’t grow in salty areas. The body needs a small quantity of sodium for its nerve impulses, to contract and relax muscles, and to maintain the right balance of water and minerals.
Salt is consumed almost daily. It is used in cooking and performs other functions in the home, such as food preservation and can be an additive in cleaning solutions. But can it prevent pregnancy? Let’s find out.
Can Salt Prevent Pregnancy?
There is a myth that salt and water solution can prevent pregnancy, but that is not true. The two are miles apart and have no connection with each other.
For example, after intercourse, the semen goes into the womb, and when you take salt solution afterwards, the solution goes into the stomach.
These two are different tunnels in the human body with no connection. So it is evident that salt solution does not flush out sperm or prevent fertilization from taking place neither is douching your vagina with a salt solution.
If there is anything such salt intake will do, it is to have a negative side effect on your body. It can be likened to knowing that your toilet is dirty but cleaning the kitchen instead. This can only result in a waste of your precious time.
But you may wonder, “Why do other pregnancy prevention medications like Postinor work when they are also taken orally?
The answer is straightforward. Postinor is a drug, but a salt solution isn’t. Medications used in preventing pregnancy contain hormones that can thicken mucus in the cervix, thereby preventing the sperm and egg from coming into contact.
We hope it is becoming clear and you understand why salt and water solution cannot hinder conception.
Now let’s look at the harmful effects of ingesting salt solution as a form of contraceptive.
Read also: How to prepare Ginger, Tumeric, and Clove for fertility drink
Side effects of drinking a salt solution
Too much of anything is bad, and so is drinking a salt solution. Our bodies need salt daily but in the right proportion. Only about 500mg of salt is required daily. But too much of it has harmful effects on the body. These include:
A. It can lead to high blood pressure
Most of the sodium in our bodies ends up in the bloodstream, which draws water to itself. So, if you eat excessive salt, your bloodstream gets more water. And high blood pressure is caused by a high volume of blood pushing against the blood vessels.
B. It can cause a stroke
When the quantity of sodium in the blood increases, the blood pressure rises as well, and at that point, the blood vessels tighten and narrow. This causes high blood pressure, which can eventually lead to a stroke.
C. It leads to heart disease and premature death
Some studies show that eating a lot of salt can raise blood pressure and make blood vessels and arteries stiffen. In turn, these changes may make people more likely to get heart disease, which can ultimately lead to death.
A 20-year study that was conducted found that people who ate less than 5.8 grams of salt per day had the lowest death rates, while people who ate more than 15 grams of salt per day had the highest.
D. It can lead to osteoporosis
Salt plays a significant role in controlling the quantity of calcium lost from the bones. Since calcium is essential for strong, healthy bones, too much of it can weaken them.
E. It can cause kidney diseases
The kidneys filter the blood and get rid of excess water. To do this, the body needs the correct quantity of sodium and potassium to draw water from the bloodstream into a channel in the kidney where it can be stored.
Eating a lot of salt will change this sodium balance and strain the kidney, leading to kidney diseases.
F. Excessive intake of salt causes stomach cancer
Several studies show that people who eat a lot of salt are more likely to get stomach cancer.
A study of more than 268,000 participants shows that people who ingest about a medium quantity of salt (3 grams per day) may have a 68% higher chance of getting stomach cancer than people who eat less salt (1 gram per day).
Also, another study shows that people who eat a lot of salt may have a risk of stomach cancer that is twice as high as those who eat less salt.
It is yet to be fully understood how salt causes stomach cancer. But experts believe that consuming a lot of it may increase the risk of getting stomach cancer. This is because it will expose them to the risk of ulcers or stomach lining inflammation.
G. It causes fluid retention leading to swelling
Excess salt causes the different parts of the body to swell up. This could be why you feel bloated when you wake up in the morning. These swellings are usually in the fingers, ankles, and feet, known as Edema.
Edema is caused by too much fluid in the body tissues. It is either a sign of an underlying health problem or that you are consuming too much salt. A simple way to fix this is to reduce your salt intake.
H. Too much salt leads to frequent headaches.
Do you sometimes get headaches that come every now and then? Most likely, these headaches are caused by excessive salt in the body. If you take too much salt, you are likely to have headaches resulting from dehydration.
I. Poor quality of sleep
Excess salt intake, especially in the evening, can lead to insomnia. This is caused by increased blood pressure and the need to drink water and go to the bathroom frequently.
These and more are the various adverse effects of taking a salt solution. We bet you do not want to experience these. Now let’s take you over the natural contraceptives that have little or no adverse effect on your health.
Natural Pregnancy Prevention Methods
Since we have ruled out taking salt solution because it is not potent, here are some natural that may prevent pregnancy.
Please note that the best way to prevent pregnancy is to consult your doctor for family planning; however, these natural foods may help prevent pregnancy.
i. Papaya
Papaya, also called pawpaw, is a common fruit. To prevent pregnancy, women have been advised to eat papaya twice daily for 3–4 days after sex, while the men should eat it before the act.
It is believed that this fruit reduces fertility in men. This effect is only temporary; once they stop eating papaya, their reproductive cells return to their maximum capacity.
ii. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one fruit that causes miscarriages and abortions by making the uterus contract. But this effect doesn’t happen immediately and only occurs when used regularly.
It is also recommended that you discuss this with your doctor before using cinnamon for such a purpose.
iii. Neem
Neem is very popular in every Indian household. It is an effective contraceptive. The plant contains substances that reduce fertility in males without affecting sperm production.
When taken for a certain period, it prevents fertilization, and once it is discontinued, the male becomes fertile again.
iv. Buckwheat
This plant has a lot of rutin, which hinders fetus implantation. Buckwheat should be used before and after copulation to prevent conception.
v. Cotton root bark
The bark of the cotton root is rich in oxytocin which is released when open. Oxytocin stimulates the muscles of the uterus and makes it difficult to conceive. You can drink this tea from cotton root bark twice daily as a contraceptive.
vi. Rue
Rue contains rutin and pilocarpine, which are very effective substances for preventing pregnancy by inducing early abortion. Taking rue two to three times a day in the form of tea should hinder conception.
Conclusion: Can Salt And Water Prevent Pregnancy Naturally?
If you are among those still asking, “Can salt and water prevent pregnancy?” we hope this blog post has enlightened you. Salt and water solution cannot hinder conception; instead, it has harmful effects on the body when ingested.
We have explained the other ways to prevent pregnancy naturally but ensure to consult your doctor for family planning if you don’t want to get pregnant.
We hope you got value reading this blog post.
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