Understanding Your Birth Control Options

Birth control has many purposes, with the main one being pregnancy prevention. But some barrier types help prevent sexually transmitted infections, while others help with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and hormonal disorders.

You need to choose the correct type of birth control for your needs to prevent pregnancy and protect your sexual health. At OB-GYN North Dallas, our team of nine experienced OB/GYN doctors provides women's health services and helps you choose the proper birth control.

What is birth control?

Birth control comes in many forms that work in different ways to prevent sperm from reaching an egg for fertilization.

Although birth control is often a woman's choice, men can also contribute by wearing a condom. Women have a multitude of options for pregnancy prevention, but only some prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Birth control works in various ways to prevent pregnancy, including thickening cervical mucus, thinning the uterine lining, damaging sperm, and preventing ovulation.

Understanding birth control methods

As a woman, you have many birth control methods to choose from. Before deciding on a method, you need to know the details and how to use it for optimal effectiveness.

Below are most of the birth control options we offer. Each birth control method has an effectiveness rating and side effects that we mention here.

IUD

An IUD comes in hormonal and copper forms. It's a tiny device we insert into your uterus in an in-office procedure. The hormonal IUD prevents pregnancy for three to eight years, while the copper IUD lasts for up to 10 years.

An IUD is highly effective, preventing pregnancy 99% of the time.

Implant

The birth control implant is a tiny rod that slowly releases hormones into your body to prevent pregnancy. We place the little rod in your arm in our office, and it lasts up to five years. It's also 99% effective in pregnancy prevention.

Pill

The birth control pill is highly effective when you take it properly, preventing pregnancy 93% of the time. But you need to take the pill every day at the same time for it to be effective.

Condoms

Condoms are less effective than hormonal birth control options, but have the added benefit of preventing STDs. Male condoms are 87% effective, while female condoms are only 79% effective, and you need to use them every time you have sex.

Shot

The birth control shot is a hormonal injection you get every three months for pregnancy prevention. It's 96% effective when you stay on schedule with the injections.

Vaginal ring

Another option is the vaginal birth control ring, which you insert into your vagina once a month. It stays in for three weeks, and you take it out on the fourth week for menstruation. It's 93% effective when used correctly.

Patch

The birth control patch is 93% effective in pregnancy prevention, but you must change it weekly. It contains hormones that prevent pregnancy.

Diaphragm

A diaphragm is something you must use every time you have sex, along with spermicide to prevent pregnancy. It's a bendable cup that you place inside your vagina. It sits against your cervix to prevent sperm from reaching an egg.

Sterilization

If you're done having children or don't want any, sterilization is a permanent procedure. For women, it's called a tubal ligation, and in men, it's a vasectomy. Once we do the procedure, you're no longer able to get pregnant naturally.

Choosing the right birth control for you

For it to work correctly, you must choose the proper birth control method for your needs. Our team helps you weigh the pros and cons of each method to determine the best option.

Many factors go into choosing a birth control method, including effectiveness and convenience. For instance, the birth control pill is highly effective, but you have to take it every day. If you're not an everyday person, then the vaginal ring or implant may be a better option.

It's also important to consider when and if you want to start a family. If you want to get pregnant in a few months to a year or two, both hormonal and copper IUDs, as well as the implant are good options, as fertility tends to return quickly after removal.

Ultimately, the decision is yours, but we can help you navigate each option to give you pros, cons, and side effects so you can make an informed decision.

Call us at our office in Plano, Texas, today to learn more about birth control, or use our convenient online booking tool to schedule a consultation.