What’s the Best Birth Control Option For You?
There are a lot of options when it comes to birth control, but what’s the best birth control option for you? Take a look at each of these popular options and learn which could benefit you the most.
There are 6 million pregnancies in the United States every year. 45 percent of which are unplanned or unintended.
If you’ve never had an unintended pregnancy and you’re sexually active, you’ve probably had a scare (at the very least) or know someone who has.
And, as a sexually active person you, hopefully, know that the only way to prevent pregnancy is to abstain from vaginal intercourse entirely. But that’s not always easy to do, because everyone has needs.
If you want to enjoy sex but don’t want to get pregnant, you’ll need to use some form of birth control. There are currently a whopping 17 different birth control methods you can choose from.
While having options is awesome, it can be overwhelming too. How do you know which is the best birth control for you?
In this post, we’ll explore some of the most popular options, so you can decide which could benefit you most.
Hormonal Methods
Here are some popular hormonal methods of birth control:
The Pill
When it comes to popular birth control choices, the pill remains the most common method and is also one of the safest birth control options.
Combined pills contain estrogen and progestin, while the progestin-only pill has, you guessed it, progestin only. Both pills prevent ovulation and are taken daily.
If you’re looking to regulate your cycle and make periods more bearable, the pill may be a good option for you. The biggest con here is that you have to remember to take the pill at the same time every day for it to be effective.
The Patch
The patch contains the same hormones as combined pills, except instead of taking a pill every day, you simply put a new patch on every week three weeks each month.
The last week, you don’t wear a patch and have your period as usual.
If you don’t want to take the pill daily, the patch may be for you.
Nuvaring
Nuvaring contains the same hormones as the methods described above.
To use it, you simply insert it into the vagina and wear it for three weeks at a time. Then, in the fourth week, you have your period.
If you want periods which are lighter, shorter, and more regular, this is an option worth considering.
The Implant
The implant is a small rod prescribed by your doctor that is inserted into your arm. It contains a hormone called etonogestrel that prevents your body from ovulating.
After insertion, the implant can last up to three years. If you choose to, you can remove it at any time.
The cons of this method include irregular bleeding, headaches, and weight gain, among others.
While it is over 99 percent effective, having a Nexplanon pregnancy is still a possibility.
Barrier Methods
Here are some popular barrier methods of birth control:
Condoms
Condoms are, without a doubt, the most popular barrier method.
They’re easy to use, inexpensive, and easy to access. And, in addition to preventing unwanted pregnancies, they can also prevent the transmission of STDs.
However, they can be uncomfortable for both parties involved, so they may impact your enjoyment and thus, impact your love life.
Spermicide
Spermicide is a gel or cream featuring a chemical to kill sperm.
Before having sex, you simply place the gel or cream inside your vagina.
While spermicide is easy to use and readily available at most drugstores, it’s not the best way to prevent pregnancy, as it’s only 72 percent effective when used by itself.
Cervical Cap or Diaphragm
A cervical cap or diaphragm is a cap that covers the cervix. They are typically made from either plastic or silicone and both require a prescription from your doctor, like most birth control methods listed here.
Caps and diaphragms are reusable and have no side effects, but you need to insert them correctly before sex every time, and they’re most effective when you use them in conjunction with spermicide.
If you’re looking for an option with zero side effects, you may want to think about these.
Sterilization
If you or your partner are certain that you do not want kids at any point, sterilization is an option for either one or both of you.
Female sterilization involves surgically closing off your fallopian tubes so eggs can’t reach your uterus, and male sterilization involves surgically closing off, tying, or cutting the tubes carrying sperm so that semen doesn’t contain any sperm.
Male and female sterilization are the only forms of birth control which are permanent.
Intrauterine Devices
As you might imagine, a device is placed inside your uterus.
There are hormonal options and nonhormonal options, and each lasts for a different amount of time. Both hormonal and nonhormonal IUDs prevent sperm from fertilizing eggs, albeit in different ways.
The longest-lasting option is the copper IUD, which lasts for up to 10 years.
If you know you want a long-lasting option that is maintenance-free and can be removed at any time – an IUD may be the best way to prevent pregnancy for you.
Natural Methods
Here are some popular natural methods of birth control. These are some of the healthiest birth control methods in regards to side effects and health risks.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal, or more commonly known as the “pull out” method, is when a partner withdraws his penis before ejaculating.
While it’s one of the more cost-effective options because it’s free, it’s not always easy to do perfectly, and your partner has to remember to do it every time you have sex.
Abstinence
Abstinence is simply abstaining from vaginal intercourse.
It’s the only natural method with a no-fail rate, meaning it’s one hundred percent effective. And, you don’t have to abstain from other forms of sex, either – only vaginal intercourse.
The biggest con here is that abstaining from sex can often be difficult to do.
Finding the Best Birth Control for You
We’ve covered a lot of the best birth control options in this post.
Hopefully, reading through it will provide some clarity and will make it easier for you talk to your doctor and decide which method is the best for you.
Want to read about more great topics, like whether Vietnamese food is the healthiest in the world?
Check out the rest of our website for more!
