How to Pick the Best Birth Control
June 2, 2022 11:00 am
Wondering what the best birth control is for your needs? That’s a bit of a trick question—and there’s no single answer.
There are numerous options, and the most effective type for you might not be the most effective type for your friend or your sister.
How can you choose the birth control that’s right for you? You’ll want to talk with an OB-GYN or another provider who knows your personal health history, your lifestyle and your sexual health needs.
In the meantime, though, read on to learn the different types of birth control to get a good feel for what’s available.
The Types of Birth Control
The good news about birth control methods is that there are many different options that work in distinct ways. If you try one and determine you don’t like it or experience side effects, you can switch to another option.
Some methods, like the birth control implant or an intrauterine device (IUD), are very low maintenance. Once in place, they last for years.
Birth control pills (oral contraceptives), the vaginal ring, the birth control patch and the birth control injection are taken or used on a regular schedule. Birth control pills are taken daily according to the schedule on the packet of pills, while the ring is inserted and removed on a monthly schedule. The birth control shot is given at a provider’s office every three months.
Other forms of birth control, including condoms, a diaphragm, the birth control sponge, spermicide and a cervical cap, must be used each time you have sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
It is important to note that most forms of birth control do not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Finding the Right Fit
The “right” birth control method is the one that works best for you and your specific needs. When choosing a type of birth control, consider what you’re looking for. You may simply be looking for birth control in the truest sense—some form of protection against pregnancy.
But many women are also looking for some specifics in a birth control method. Most women want a form of birth control that has few if any, side effects. And some women are looking for birth control that can also provide relief of symptoms related to the menstrual cycle, such as cramping or period-related headaches.
You’ll also want to consider factors related to your health and your lifestyle, such as whether your partner is willing to actively help provide protection against pregnancy, whether you want to have children in the near future or later down the road, and how well you remember to take medications. If you have a difficult time remembering to take medications or perform other tasks, you may want to consider a form of birth control that’s less time-intensive, such as the birth control shot or an IUD. If you prefer a method that’s non-hormonal, a condom or diaphragm are two options.
Your provider can walk you through the different options and how well they’d work for your specific needs. This will include information about the relative effectiveness of each type of birth control when used exactly as directed. (For example, birth control pills are about 99% effective when taken perfectly, but many people don’t use them correctly all the time. In reality, birth control pills are about 91% effective at preventing pregnancy.)
The Bottom Line
It is relatively rare for a woman to use only one type of birth control method throughout her life. You may find that different methods are better options at different ages and stages.
It may also take some experimenting to find the type that works best for you. Each type of birth control that’s taken orally, injected, implanted or otherwise placed in the body can cause some side effects. You may find you don’t feel your best when taking a certain type of birth control, or that you don’t like the weight gain associated with a specific birth control pill.
Your provider can help guide you through finding the best option for you and making changes as needed along the way to keep you healthy and protected against pregnancy.
Looking for help with choosing birth control and other sexual health needs? Magnolia Regional Health Center offers the care women need at every stage of life.
Magnolia Women’s Center
3714 Hwy 72 W.
Corinth, MS 38834
(662) 293-1575
This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center