What is contraception?
Contraception is a tool that men and women can use when they don’t want intercourse to result in pregnancy. It gives you the power to choose when you’re ready to welcome a child into the world.
There is a wide range of contraception available today. Some use hormones to control your body’s fertility, others prevent sperm from reaching your eggs, while others make the uterus inhabitable to sperm.
What are my contraception options?
The Fresno Women’s Care team can help you choose the right kind of birth control for your specific needs. Some of the types that are available include:
Hormonal contraception
Most hormonal contraceptives work by stopping the female body from ovulating, or releasing the egg formed in the ovary and preparing it to be fertilized by sperm. By introducing manmade hormones into the body through hormonal contraception, a woman can control her body’s natural hormone cycle and effectively close the window of fertility.
Common forms of hormonal birth control include the pill, the implant (a small rod implanted in the woman’s arm that is effective for up to three years), injections, and patches.
Intrauterine contraception
Women who don’t want to have to worry about taking the pill on a set schedule have an alternate option. Intrauterine contraceptive devices, commonly knowns as IUDs, can be implanted in the uterus. Hormonal intrauterine contraception works for up to five years, while non-hormonal (i.e., copper) IUDs are effective for up to a decade.
Barrier-based contraception
Although barrier-based contraception often comes with a higher failure rate than other forms of birth control, it can be ideal for women who aren’t ready to commit to longer-term contraception like hormones or IUDs. This birth control prevents the sperm from reaching the woman’s eggs and includes male and female condoms, diaphragms, and sponges.
How do I know which birth control is right for me?
Choosing the right contraception comes down to knowing your short- and long-term goals. For example, if you may want kids in the near future, barrier-based contraception or quickly reversible options like an IUD or the implant might be best for you. If you want long-term contraception but don’t want to use hormones, the copper IUD could be the perfect solution.
Finding your ideal birth control isn’t always easy, but the team at Fresno Women’s Care is here to help. To get started, call the office or schedule your appointment online today.
