Wild yam as birth control?
I read that wild yam can be used as a form of contraception if you give it two months to take effect. Has anyone tried this? If you have, how effective is it? As for anyone else, what have you heard about wild yam being used as a contraceptive?
I thought about going on birth control but I'm uninsured, my college does not provide birth control, and all of the clinics that provide free birth control are far away and since I'm a full time student, I don't have a job and only have so much money for gas. So far, my only forms of birth control have been condoms and abstinence.
Thanks 
Comments
There have been anecdotes of using wild yam for contraception, but as with many herbal products, the objective medical proof just isn't there. Wild yam contains chemical precursors used by the body to create estrogen and progesterone, the same active ingredients in hormonal birth control. It is more effective, however, in providing an herbal remedy for replacing estrogen in post-menopausal women to prevent osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause.
Using it for contraception would likely be more risk than it's worth, and would probably be less effective than a condom (unless you know someone personally who can attest to exactly how effective it really is). I wouldn't recommend risking your college education; contraception is definitely not something you want to cheap-out on. I believe Wal-Mart offers Sprintec (generic for Ortho Tri-Cyclen) for about $9, but you might want to call and ask to double check.
Using anything herbal is sort of hit or miss, and the reason why wild yam may work sometimes is you have to buy the the CREAM or pill, not just eating wild yams, and you have to buy something that contains progesterone. A doctor at the University of Maryland says it's nothing more then a nice herbal supplement, so it's probably doubtful it really works. Stick to condoms (which you should still use even on any sort of hormonal birth control like the pill) and abstinence right now, it's much safer then trying anything herbal.
IUD isn't a contraceptive. It's an abortifacient device.