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Starting Birth Control for the First Time? How to Choose the Right Contraception Method
Starting birth control for the first time is a big step, whether you’re protecting your reproductive autonomy by avoiding unwanted pregnancy, trying to control acne, or struggling with heavy periods or premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
At Women’s Health Care Center of Houston, our team of board-certified women’s health experts can help you decide what type of birth control is right for you when you’re just starting out, and get you on a schedule that works for your lifestyle, sex life, and other needs.
Reasons for going on birth control
Every woman’s reasons for choosing to start birth control are different. You may decide it’s time to get on birth control because you’re going to be sexually active and want to avoid pregnancy. You might be looking for ways to level out your hormones and reduce issues like acne. If you have severe PMS or heavy periods, birth control can also help moderate these issues.
Choosing your birth control option
There are lots of birth control options for you to choose from. Most of the common ones depend on hormones to prevent pregnancy, and you can get pregnant as soon as you stop using them.
The pill
Probably the most familiar form of birth control (outside of in-the-moment methods like condoms, spermicides, or diaphragms) is “the pill.” Hormonal birth control pills are usually one of the cheaper options and work well to prevent pregnancy for many women, so this option is great for “first-timers.”
Contraceptive pills contain hormones that can stop you from ovulating so there is no egg to fertilize. They also thicken the mucus around the cervix so if you do somehow ovulate, sperm have a much harder time getting through the cervix.
Although the pill, when used properly, is 99% effective, it’s very important that you take the pill at the same time every day. If you forget a pill or you take certain antibiotics or other medications that weaken the efficacy of the pill, you could end up pregnant anyway. Many women choose to take the pill and use a secondary form of protection like condoms or spermicidal jelly/foam.
IUDs
An intrauterine device (IUD) is inserted through your cervix into your uterus. These are usually made of copper, a natural deterrent against a fertilized egg implanting, or they release hormones that have the same effect.
Many women choose an IUD because they want a form of long-lasting birth control that isn’t permanent. An IUD can last for up to 10 years before needing replacing, and has less than a 1% fail rate. Since you don’t have a pill to remember, this might be an easier option.
Implants
A third option for long term birth control is an arm implant. An implant like Nexplanon® has a better than 99% success rate at preventing pregnancy. Your provider inserted a tiny flexible rod smaller than a matchstick under the skin on the underside of your upper arm.
Like a hormonal IUD, the implant releases hormones that prevent pregnancy. An implant usually lasts three years (although the effects can last up to five years) and can be replaced easily. This type of birth control is becoming more and more popular.
Surgery
Aside from these options, surgical procedures can also lower your risk of pregnancy either completely or almost completely. Having your tubes tied cuts your eggs off from reaching your uterus, and is considerably more than 99% effective. Be aware that while tubal ligation may be reversible, having this procedure lowers your chances of successful conception after reversal.
A sure way to avoid pregnancy is with hysterectomy that removes your uterus and/or other parts of your reproductive system. This makes it impossible for you to become pregnant so is usually a form of birth control chosen later in life or by women who have serious reasons to not want to conceive, ever.
Birth control doesn’t equal STI protection
Remember, birth control options do exactly that. What they can’t do is protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). So if you have sex with multiple partners or aren’t sure if you’re in a monogamous relationship, condoms or another barrier method are still advised.
Still not sure which birth control option is right for you? Contact us today for a consultation at our nearest office in Houston, Texas, by calling 713-365-2900 or using our online form.
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