Birth Control

Why is birth control important?

Birth control allows you to be in control of your fertility, so you decide when and if you want to start a family instead of leaving it to chance.

Pregnancy and motherhood at the right time are joyful experiences that can be profoundly moving and fulfilling. However, becoming pregnant when you aren’t ready emotionally or financially can put you under an enormous strain.

Choosing the contraception that’s right for you gives you the best chance of planning when to have a baby, reducing stress and financial hardship worries.

What are the two main approaches to birth control?

There are two main approaches to birth control. One is to alter the hormones in your body to prevent you from ovulating. If there’s no egg available for sperm to fertilize, you can’t get pregnant. The second approach is the barrier method, using physical means to prevent sperm from reaching the egg:

Hormonal

Birth control pills are a popular choice for family planning, as they are effective when used correctly and give you total control over your reproduction. Remembering to take your pill at the right time and on the right days of your cycle can be an issue for some women, but there are alternative forms of hormonal birth control that help overcome this issue, such as:

• Contraceptive patches
  
• Vaginal rings
  
• Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs)
  
• Contraceptive implants
  
• Contraceptive injections
  

Using an implantable birth control method is typically more effective than the oral pill because there’s no risk of forgetting to take your medicine.

Barrier

The most commonly used barrier method of birth control is the condom. As well as male condoms that fit over the penis, you can also get female condoms. Other choices include:

• Sponges
  
• Diaphragm
  
• Cervical cap
  
• Copper intrauterine devices (IUDs)
  

Barrier methods of birth control are more effective if you also use a spermicide, which is a gel that destroys sperm. Also, condoms are the only method of birth control that prevents sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Which type of birth control is right for me?

Every woman needs to choose the birth control method that’s going to be the safest and most effective for her as an individual. With so many choices available, it can be tricky to know which method is going to suit you best, but Dr. Patel is ready to help.

She has considerable experience in giving women the information they need to make the right decision. To begin with, it’s important that you undergo a thorough health check before taking a hormonal contraceptive. If you have a higher risk of developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or you’ve had breast cancer, for instance, then hormonal contraceptives might not be the best choice.

You also need to consider which birth control method fits with your lifestyle. For many women, an IUD or implant that they can forget about for months or even years is ideal. For others, being able to stop taking birth control any time they wish is most important.

Dr. Patel guides you through your options and monitors your health when you start on your chosen method of birth control. Make the process of family planning less stressful and more effective by calling Inland Women Care today or book an appointment online.