Choosing a birth control method that’s right for you is an essential way of ensuring you only become pregnant when you’re ready. Jennifer Hutchison, MD, FACOG, of Sunflower Women's Health Care in Tucson, Arizona, is an experienced OB/GYN who can help you make the right choice from the many options available. Call the clinic today to schedule a consultation, or book an appointment online.
Choosing the right method of birth control can be confusing when there are so many options available. Discussing your situation with Dr. Hutchison at Sunflower Women’s Health Care is a great help because she can give you the most reliable information based on knowing you and your medical history, and having the expertise to recommend the most appropriate method. You need to take into account:
Being able to discuss these issues with Dr. Hutchison helps you decide which factors are the priority, and how well each method of birth control fits into your life. For example, if you’re not very good at remembering to take pills at the right time, then an implant would be more effective than oral contraception.
Hormonal methods of birth control include:
As well as a hormonal IUD, you can also have a long-acting copper IUD, which instead of using hormones releases minute quantities of copper, which affects the health and vigor of any sperm.
Barrier methods of birth control include male condoms, female condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps, which all create a physical obstacle that prevents sperm from reaching the egg when used correctly. Using spermicide to kill sperm at the same time increases their effectiveness even further.
Male condoms are the only effective method of preventing transmission of STDs, so if you have multiple partners, it’s sensible to use condoms in addition to other birth control methods.
You can also avoid pregnancy using natural methods, where you track your ovulation cycle and avoid having sex when you’re at your most fertile. This is an option for women who don’t wish to use other methods, but the effectiveness is typically lower than with hormonal and barrier methods of contraception.
If you’re certain you don’t want to have children or your family is complete, you could undergo a permanent sterilization procedure.
For help with choosing a birth control method that is going to be most suitable for you, call Sunflower Women’s Health Care today, or book an appointment online.