5 Critical Considerations to Make When Choosing Contraception
Birth control is essential today as it helps you plan your family and decide when to have children. However, choosing which method is suitable for you is difficult today as there are so many options. That is why it is critical to see expert guidance from highly experienced medical experts such as Christopher K Quinsey, MD, a contraception specialist who can help you choose the best birth control in Lake Mary, FL. Additionally, it would help if you made some careful considerations to understand which option is best for you, as outlined below.
How Well They Work
It is critical to consider the effectiveness of every birth control option. But note that the most effective way to avoid becoming pregnant is through avoiding sexual intercourse. But if you choose to have penis-in-vagina sex, it is good to go for the contraceptive to reduce your chances of getting pregnant. According to this consideration, the most effective methods include:
- Birth control implant
- Hormonal or copper intrauterine device (IUD)
- Surgical sterilization
These methods are more than 99% effective in minimizing pregnancy chances. However, other methods such as conventional condoms are only 85% in preventing pregnancy. However, condoms are also the only options that prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Besides, you can also use condoms alongside other birth control methods.
Other birth controls you can try depending on their effectiveness include the shot which is 94% effective, the skin patch, vaginal ring, and pills, which are 91% effective.
Ease of Using
Some birth control methods are complicated to use and may decrease their effectiveness. Besides, some options depend much on your efforts and accuracy. For example, if you are using birth control pills, you have to take them accurately each day and remember to refill them, failure to which you can experience complications. However, other methods such as long-acting reversible contraceptives are easy to use. For example, when your doctor inserts IUDs or birth control implants, it requires no extra effort, and it provides 24 hours protection for about three years.
How Permanent is the Method?
Do you still plan to become pregnant in the future? Not all methods will suit your desire. Although most of the birth control options are reversible, some of them are affecting your fertility permanently. Therefore, please share your future family plans with your provider to find one that will favor your plan. Only go for the permanent options when you are confident of not wanting to get pregnant in the future.
Side Effects
No birth control is perfect. They can have different side effects depending on your body’s reaction, where some can be minor and temporal, while others are severe. Therefore, it is critical to talk to your doctor about different birth control options to understand their possible side effects. Your medical history can increase your risks for several side effects, and your provider may ask you several questions about your past.
Hormonal Birth Control
It is critical to consider whether a birth control method releases some synthetic forms of hormones such as estrogen and progestin, which can negatively affect you. Some aspects of your health, including moods and menstrual cycles, can be affected. Although the effects are manageable to many people, they can be intolerable in some cases. Your provider will advise you accordingly, depending on your unique case.
Do not stay stranded without knowing which contraception best suits you. Reach out to Christopher K Quinsey today, and the birth control specialist will help you make informed choices. Dr. Quinsey will help you understand every available birth control method to help you make your decision.