Birth Control: How Can You Know What Is Right For You?
Choosing the right birth control method is a personal decision that depends on various factors, including your health, lifestyle, family planning goals, and personal preferences. I’d like to take a minute to talk about some of the most common ones.
1- Hormonal Contraception
These types of birth control rely on using hormones to cause one of a few things to happen. This may include, but is not limited to: causing ovulation to cease while taking the pill, or thickening cervical mucus, or altering the endometrium (a membrane in the uterus) so that the sperm has difficulty meeting the maternal egg in the fallopian tube where fertilization occurs.
The upside of using hormonal contraception is that it allows spontaneous intercourse, while having an extremely high effectiveness at preventing pregnancy.
The downside is that these offer no protection against STD’s. The use of a condom is still recommended while using this type of birth control.
2- Barrier Contraception
This type of birth control is what most people are familiar with. Not only are condom’s the most popular form of birth control, but they also protect against STD’s very well.
3- Intrauterine Contraception
Most commonly referred to as IUD’s, this type of birth control offers long-term results with minimal up-front difficulty.
Most IUD’s use copper, which acts as a spermicide to protect against pregnancy. There are also some that release a progestin over time.
4- Sterilization
Sterilization is often done at a later age, once a final decision to not have children has been made. Some of the methods are reversible, but because it requires surgery, is much more difficult than simply using a condom.
Both males and females can be sterilized through the use of surgical means. In women, this may be referred to as ‘tying the tubes’, but that does not mean they are actually tied. There are a number of methods for this to be done for women.
Men can go through a procedure known as a vasectomy, in which the tubes that carry the sperm during ejaculation are tied or sealed to prevent pregnancy.
Wrapping Up
These are the major types of birth control available today. There are other methods which are less common, but these have the longest record of being effective.
Ultimately, the right birth control for you is one that fits your lifestyle, meets your health needs, and aligns with your family planning goals. Consulting with a healthcare provider is key to making an informed decision.
If you’re looking for the best type of birth control for you, please come visit our office local to you, and we will sit down and discuss the options in detail with you.
To find your local branch click here.
Have a Question? Dr. Pendergraft is available to answer your sexual health related question by
e-mail 24 hours 7 days a week at Drpendergraft@gmail.com
