Answer These Questions to Determine the Best Birth Control for You

Did you know that there are around 12 different methods of birth control? Today’s women have more choices than ever before about what type of birth control they can use. In fact, sometimes these choices can be overwhelming.

Don’t worry. If you’ve decided you’re not quite ready to have a baby yet, we will work with you and determine the best type of birth control for you. We’ve broken it down to a few simple questions you can ask yourself to help decide what will work best for you

How Important Is Convenience?

Many birth control methods like the pill can be effective but they require constant diligence, and you must take it every day in order to prevent pregnancy. For many women, busy schedules demand that they select something a bit more convenient.

In situations like this, women have many options. A few that we would like to outline include IUDs, implants, patches and vaginal rings.

Benefits of an IUD

When it comes to convenience, an IUD is a natural choice. Once it is inserted, it provides birth control for 3 to 10 years, depending upon the type you select. This makes IUDs one of the most popular forms of birth control among women today.

If you decide to have children, the IUD can be easily removed by one of our doctors. IUDs use fewer hormones, and some don’t use hormones at all.

Birth Control Patch

The birth control patch uses hormones, and a new one is applied once a week for three weeks. After 3 weeks, you would leave the patch off for a week and typically get a period during that time.

Implants

As effective as the pill, implants are devices about the size of a matchstick and are inserted into the non-dominant arm. It supplies birth control for up to 3 years, and it is easily removable if you decide to have a baby.

Depo – Provera

This is an injection that is given once every three months. It contains the hormone progestin, which keeps you from ovulating.

Vaginal Rings

These are inserted into your vagina and can be worn for three weeks at a time.

Will You Be Comfortable Using This Form of Birth Control?

Certain forms of birth control like a diaphragm require insertion before sex. Some women may find this inconvenient or uncomfortable. We believe the most important thing is to listen to your body and to use a form of birth control that is right for you.

Have You Examined the Reliability of This Form of Birth Control?

The most effective forms of birth control remain the IUD and the implant. With these methods, less than one in 100 women a year got pregnant. These methods are long-lasting, yet easily reversible if you decide you want to get pregnant.

By comparison, injections, the pill, patch, vaginal rings and diaphragms result in 6 to 12 pregnancies per 100 women per year.

Fertility-based awareness methods and use of spermicides only remain least effective resulting in 18 or more pregnancies per 100 women a year.

For more information, you can view this useful handout from this CDC that outlines the various forms of birth control and their effectiveness.

Are You Considering the Need to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

While the birth control methods listed above are very effective, they do not protect you against STDs.

For this reason, we believe that it is important for you to use a condom even if you are also using another form of birth control.

Are You Keenly Aware of Your Cycle and Don’t Want to Use Hormones?

Some women prefer natural family planning. However, for this to be successful, you must be very aware of your menstrual cycle. This includes knowing when you are ovulating and therefore, when you are most likely to get pregnant.

Once you are aware of your ovulation cycle, then you can either avoid intercourse at that time or use a condom.

Be aware that this type of birth control may be challenging if you have an irregular cycle. We encourage you to ask us any questions you have.

Are You Absolutely Sure That You Do Not Want to Have Children?

If you are positive that you do not want children in your future, you can undergo permanent birth control such as a tubal ligation (having your tubes tied).

It’s important to note that a tubal ligation is typically only done after you reach a certain age.

However, it is important that you recognize that this procedure is very hard to reverse in case you change your mind and want to have children in the future.

We Have the Extensive Birth Control Options You Need at Associates in Women’s Healthcare

We recognize that birth control is an intensely personal and individualized decision. Our goal is not to promote one type of birth control over another, but rather to help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of each method. By working together, we can craft a plan that is right for you.

Ready to get started? Schedule an appointment with us today and discover why we are the leading provider of women’s health care in the Triangle and Raleigh areas.