Birth Control Options

Choosing the right contraception is an important decision. A method that is not effective can lead to an unintended pregnancy. The best method is one that is safe and that will actually be used correctly and consistently.

1. BIRTH CONTROL PILLS. Birth control pills contain hormones that prevent pregnancy. Progesterone provides most of the birth control activity. Estrogen provides better cycle control. Pills do not protect or prevent against sexually transmitted infections. Add condoms, there’s your protection.

Risks of Birth Control Pills include blood clots, hypertension, stroke, MI, cervical cancer and breast cancer. Confounding factors are cigarette smoking, number of sexual partners and lack of Pap smears.

2. CONDOMS, SPERMICIDES. When used consistently and correctly, male and female condoms can prevent pregnancy and many sexually transmitted infections, including infectious with the HIV virus.

Condoms are inexpensive, available without a prescription and easy to use. By preventing sexually transmitted infections, condoms help protect future fertility. Clients potentially at risk for sexually transmitted infections should be encouraged to use condoms along with birth control pills, implants, injectables, IUD'S, spermicides, sterilization including hysterectomy.

Spermicides are simple and available without a prescription. They can be used intermittently with little advanced planning. Spermicides provide little, if any, protection against transmission of sexually transmitted infection, do not protect against the HIV virus.

3. DIAPHRAGM, VAGINAL BARRIERS. The vaginal barriers are relatively simple to use and can be used intermittently with little advanced planning. Consistent and correct use is essential for vaginal barrier effectiveness. Most pregnancies occur because the method is not used. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped rubber cup that has a flexible ring. It is inserted into the vagina before intercourse. Once inserted, the diaphragm provides effective contraceptive protection for six hours. If a longer interval has elapsed, insertion of additional fresh spermicide with an applicator is indicated. After intercourse, the diaphragm must be left in place for at least six hours.

4. NuvaRing® and ORTHO EVRA PATCH are the newer combined hormonal methods. The vaginal ring and weekly patches were developed to combine the effectiveness and non contraceptive benefit of combined pills with a longer acting delivery system in order to reduce the demand placed by the daily administration of pills.

The NuvaRing® is placed in the vagina once every 28 days. The ring is kept in place for 21 days and removed for a seven day ring-free period to permit a withdrawal bleed or period.

The Ortho Evra patch lasts seven days. Women replace the patch each week for three weeks each cycle, then have a seven day patch-free week, during which time they will start the withdrawal bleed or period.

5. DEPO-PROVERA, IMPLANON™ AND THE MINI-PILL. Progesterone only contraceptives are particularly important to women who cannot use contraception that contains estrogen. Lactating women may use progesterone only contraception. Progesterone only methods provide no protection against sexually transmitted infections. Condoms should be used consistently and correctly, if intercourse poses any risk of transmitting sexually transmitted infections including the HIV virus.

The Depo-Provera injection is given every 12 weeks. Once the Depo-Provera has been used longer than 12 weeks, most women will have no withdrawal bleed or period.

Implanon™ is a type of birth control for women. It is a flexible plastic rod the size of a matchstick that is put under the skin of your arm. It contains progesterone only hormone.

The mini-pill or progesterone only pill is taken on a daily basis and taken every day with no hormone free days. Many breast-feeding women are placed on the mini-pill.

6. CONTRACEPTIVE SPONGE. The sponge is a one size over-the-counter product. It is moistened with tap water prior to use and inserted deep in the vagina. The sponge protects up to 24 hours no matter how many times intercourse occurs. It should be left in place at least six hours after intercourse, and then it is discarded.

7. IUD or INTRAUTERINE DEVICES. The intrauterine contraceptive provides long term protection against pregnancy and is promptly reversible. IUDs work primarily by preventing sperm from fertilizing eggs.

There is no protection against sexually transmitted infections, and this includes the HIV virus, therefore, condoms should be used along with the IUD if there is a risk of sexually transmitted infections. There are two types of IUDs available: ParaGard, which has a ten year use, and Mirena, which has a five year use.

8. NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING OR FERTILITY AWARENESS BASED METHODS. Fertility awareness helps couples understand how to avoid pregnancy or how to become pregnant. Regardless of whether they use family planning or which method they use, every woman and man value in learning fertility awareness.

Family awareness based methods of family planning use one or more indicators to identify the beginning and end of the fertile time during menstrual cycles. These would include calendar rhythm methods, ovulation predictor methods or thermal methods which includes basal body temperature charting.

9. FEMALE AND MALE STERILIZATION. Sterilization is one of the safest most effective and most cost effective contraceptive methods.

Sterilization for women involves cutting or mechanically blocking the fallopian tubes to prevent the sperm and the egg from uniting. Female sterilization is ideal for those persons who are certain they want no further children or any children and need a reliable contraceptive method.

The surgeons at Gynecology and Infertility Associates offer the Essure® method of sterilization. Essure is a minimally invasive sterilization procedure done vaginally. Essure tubal sterilization is a permanent non-reversible procedure. In clinical trials, there have been 0 failures (i.e. unintended pregnancies). Essure requires no cutting into the body. Spring-like coils are inserted through the vagina, cervix and uterus and into each fallopian tube. Essure does not contain any hormones and should not interfere with your natural menstrual cycle.

Vasectomy is the male sterilization operation that blocks the vas to prevent the passage of sperm into the seminal fluid. Vasectomy continues to be a simple safe less expensive and is effective as female sterilization.

Information provided by Contraceptive Technology

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in the Gynecology and Infertility Associates web site should be relied upon for medical education purposes only. It is not intended to replace the independent judgment of a health care provider. The appropriateness of a course of treatment for a patient may vary from the medical information provided herein due to individual conditions and/or complications.