Protection and pregnancy

As a result of the **** sexual liberation of the society of EarthUnbound’s world, STDs had become a serious concern for society by the middle of the twentieth century. However, without the wars that occurred in the real world to divert resources into defense, the scientific community was able to develop and improve treatments, cures, and vaccines rapidly. By the turn of the millennium, a few childhood vaccines, and a monthly, vitamin-like, multi-purpose preventative pill had become all that was needed to prevent all known STDs. Eventually, herd immunity resulted in the total elimination of most such illnesses.

Another concern for the extremely sexually active population was birth control. A similar effort was devoted towards both pharmaceutical innovation, and universal education and adoption programs. In the early 1950’s a **** was developed, which was perfected and mass-produced extremely cheaply by the late 1960’s, which completely suppresses menstruation and ovulation in women without any side effects or long-term consequences; it was lauded as a miracle pill, a scientific impossibility come to life. The pill can be ingested once every six weeks, but is usually prescribed monthly, which produces no additional side effects and is easier to remember, and helps to avoid accidental gaps in effectiveness if a dose is delayed.

During the same period, a similar **** was developed for men which does not reduce semen production, but cripples the viability of sperm in such a way that, even if this **** was the only preventative measure used, reduces the chance of pregnancy to 0.01%. This pill, in contrast to the one developed for women, is effective only if taken every three days at the most, and is usually taken daily since it, like the pill for women, produces no side effects when taken more often, and a daily dose is both easier to remember, and avoids accidental gaps in effectiveness if a dose is skipped. As an unexpected but welcome side effect, regular doses result in the recipient’s semen taking on a light, sweet, somewhat earthy flavor, said to be reminiscent of almonds.

The combination of these two **** results in an effectively 0% chance of unintended pregnancies, and their use soon achieved nearly 100% uptake by the extremely sexually active society. Regimens for both men and women are usually started by pediatricians starting around age 10. The young age was designed to help people become so used to taking the pill from such an early age that it would become a habit which would never be forgotten. Since the pill for girls has all the additional benefits associated with suppressing the menstrual cycle, the early use also assures that even early-bloomers who begin puberty sooner than their peers will not have to suffer the unpleasant effects of menstruation.

Any couple who deliberately chooses to have a child typically consults with an OB/GYN, who performs lab tests and then recommends a specific pair of doses for the female partner to skip in order to experience one ovulation cycle, and also recommends the specific range of days when the male partner will need to stop taking his own pill in order to produce viable sperm at the key time. Fertility **** are sometimes used to help assure that this single cycle is productive, which avoids an overly-prolonged period during which the couple must avoid sex with other partners (to avoid other, unwanted pregnancies), and to prevent the female partner from experience any more menstruation than necessary (which is a completely unfamiliar experience for a modern woman in the world of EarthUnbound).