Sexual activity is a natural part of maturity, and with it comes the possibility of having children. But you may not be ready for children, and you wouldn’t be alone. Between 2017 and 2019 alone, 65.3% of women ages 15-49 in the US were using some form of contraception. Nearly all women have used some kind of contraception in their lives, and simply stop when they want to give birth or when they’ve reached the end of their reproductive years. But what contraception should you use? Which method is best suited for your needs?
If you live in the Arlington, Texas area and you’re looking for birth control options, Dr. Joan Bergstrom and her team of doctors at Women’s Health Services are there to help you make the decision that works for you.
There are many options for contraception, including:
These options give you a routine dose of progestin or estrogen and progestin, hormones that are important in your menstrual cycle and pregnancy. They are used in several scheduled methods of birth control, such as:
It’s important to keep to the given schedule when using these methods to maximize effectiveness. They are generally between 91-99% effective when used properly.
These methods of protection are devices that are either used once and discarded or can be used multiple times at your convenience.
Spermicide is least effective when used alone (73%) but combined with the other options ranges from 86-97% effective when used properly.
If you don’t plan to get pregnant anytime soon, these methods will last for much longer periods than the others and don't require any work to manage.
All of these devices work for years at a time, with implants being the shortest at around 3 years and copper IUDs lasting for up to 12 years.
There are many ways to use contraception that can fit perfectly with your needs. If you want to explore your options and have questions and concerns, make an appointment with Dr. Bergstrom and Women’s Health Services today.
