Contraceptive options: things to consider
Choosing a birth control method can be difficult. Know the options and how to choose the appropriate contraceptive type for you.
By Mayic staff clinic
If you want to use contraceptives, there are many options. To help choose the correct method of birth control, also called contraception, think about the following questions.
What contraceptive options do I have?
Birth control types include:
- Barrier methods. These include male and female condoms, the diaphragm, a cervical lid and the contraceptive sponge.
- Short action hormonal methods. These include contraceptive pills, vaginal rings (nuvaring, annovera, others), skin patches (Xulano, Twirla) and the contraceptive shot (Depo-Provera). You must use these types of short action daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the type.
- Reversible methods of prolonged action. These include the copper IUD (Paragard), the hormonal ID (Mirena, Skyla, others) and the contraceptive implant (Nexplanon). A tough prolonged action of 3 to 10 years after being placed or until deciding that the device is removed. How long the birth control depends on the device.
- Sterilization. This is a life or permanent birth control method. Tubal ligation and vasectomy are two types of sterilization.
- Spermicide or vaginal gel. These are contraceptive methods that have no hormones. The spermicide kills sperm or makes sperm difficult to reach an egg. The vaginal pH regulator (Phexxi) is a prescribed gel that prevents sperm from moving, so they cannot reach an egg to fertilize it. These products enter the vagina just before sex.
-
Fertility awareness method. For this method, you must know what days of the month you can get pregnant, which means that it is fertile. Basal body temperature and cervical mucus can tell you when you are fertile. This method is also called a pace or calendar method.
To avoid getting pregnant, it has no sexual relations in or around the days that is fertile. Or use a contraceptive barrier control method in those days.
There are also contraceptives that can be used in an emergency. These include the morning-descend pill (plan B in one step, after others). You can use this to avoid getting pregnant after having sex without using contraceptives.
How do the types of contraceptives work?
Depending on the type, birth control methods can:
- Prevent sperm from reaching an egg.
- Damage sperm.
- Prevent ovaries from release an egg every month.
- Change the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg does not adhere to it.
- Gate the cervical mucus so that the sperm cannot pass it easily.
How good the methods work?
In order for any contraceptive to work, you must use it well all the time or every time you have sex. Birth control methods that do not need to do anything after they are in their place are linked to lower pregnancy rates. These include IUD, contraceptive implants and sterilization. The types that need to see their fertility or that do not have sex at certain times are linked to higher pregnancy rates.
Can I get pregnant whenever you want?
If you want to get pregnant in the short term, you may want a method that you can stop quickly. These methods include hormonal methods of short action or barrier methods. If you want to avoid getting pregnant for longer, you can choose a prolonged action method, such as a IUD.
You may want different types of contraceptives at different times of your life. If you know that you never want to get pregnant, you can prefer a lasting method, such as sterilization.
Do these methods work with my religious beliefs or cultural practices?
Some religions and cultures do not accept some forms of birth control. Despite the pros and cons of a contraceptive method against their own beliefs.
Is birth control easy to get and easy to pay?
Choose a type of contraceptive that suits your lifestyle. Some people want a birth control that is easy to use, that they have no side effects that bother them, or that do not have to prevent sex from using. Others do not want to have a recipe for birth control. When choosing contraceptives, think about how willing you are to plan or take medications at a time.
Some contraception methods do not cost much. Others do it. Ask what will cover your insurance. Then think about the cost while deciding what to use.
Should I worry about side effects?
Learn the side effects that a birth control method can cause. He decides if you would agree with them if they happened. Talk to your health professional about your medical history and how you could affect your birth control choice.
Do methods protect against sexually transmitted infections?
Condones are the only birth control methods that help protect sexually transmitted infections. Use condoms unless you know that neither you nor your partner are having sex with anyone else and both have been tested for sexually transmitted infections. Use a new condom every time you have sex. You can use condoms with any other birth control method you use.
Are there other good reasons to use contraceptives?
In addition to preventing pregnancy, some contraceptive methods do other good things. Some could give it more light and easy to predict menstrual. Some reduce the risk of some cancers. Think of all the reasons to choose a contraceptive method.
Will the methods with my sexual partner be good?
It is possible that you and your partner do not agree on the type of contraceptive you want to use. Discuss contraceptive options with your partner to help find a method that is good for both.
How do I choose?
The best birth control method for you is a safe one, which is well using and that you can use correctly all the time. Your chosen method of birth control can change over time. And the following factors affect your choice:
- Your age and health history.
- Whether you want to have children, how many you want and when you want to get pregnant.
- The people with whom you have sex, including the number of sexual couples they have, how often sex and what couple you prefer.
- Your religious beliefs and cultural practices.
- How good a method of birth control prevents pregnancy, side effects, cost and if the method prevents sexually transmitted infections.
To decide what type of contraceptive is adequate for you, know your options, meet yourself and know your partner.
Women’s health issues: directly to your entrance tray
Get the most recent information of our experts at the Mayo Clinic in women’s health issues, serious and complex conditions, well -being and more. Click to see a preview and subscribe below.
To provide the most relevant and useful information, and understand what information is beneficial, we can combine the use information of your email and website with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will deal with all that information as protected health information and we will only use or disseminate that information established in our privacy practices notice. You can choose not to participate in email communications at any time by clicking on the Cancel Subscription Link in email.
Thanks for subscribing!
Soon he will begin to receive the latest health information from Mayic Clinic that he requested in his entrance tray.
Sorry, something went wrong with his subscription
Please try again in a couple of minutes
January 28, 2025
See more in depth
Products and services
.