The modern world is certainly different from what women had to deal with years ago. Thanks to advances in science and technology, women have a variety of birth control options. These days, you can find choices that guarantee against pregnancy with ratings up to 99.9% if you make use of them properly. You can choose from birth control options that will best suit your lifestyle, but be sure to discuss your top choices with your doctor in order to pick the right one. Here are common choices for birth control that you could consider:
Barrier Methods of Birth Control
Barrier methods include those that block the sperm from ever reaching the egg. They include the following:
- Contraceptive sponge along with a spermicide
- Diaphragm
- Cervical cap
- Female condom
- Male condom
These types of birth control methods are considered to have the higher chance of failure when compared to other methods. For example, the male condom is about 97% effective. That does not mean they are not viable means of birth control. They just do not get the complete assurance you could find in other choices.
Hormone Based Birth Control
These types of birth control are, by far, the most common. The most important thing about the hormone based methods is that they must be used as directed to be dependable. They include the following:
- The pill
- The contraceptive patch
- Shots or injections
- Vaginal ring
When used properly, these methods are about 99% effective. The common failure of the methods comes from human error.
Implant Methods of Birth Control
For those women who wish to have dependable birth control without having to remember to take a pill every day, there are implantable devices. They include:
- Implantable rods
- IUDs (intrauterine devices)
These two options are long-term methods of birth control. They last up to 10 years. They, especially the rods, should not be used if you think you may wish to have children in the near future.
Permanent Solutions
If you know that you do not want children in the future, then you may want to consider surgical solutions. These methods completely take away the chance of fertilization, so they are the most dependable. However, since they are permanent, you should consider them carefully before making the decision to use them. They include:
- Female implant sterilization
- Vasectomy for men
- Tying or cutting the fallopian tubes in a woman
Emergency Contraception
Called the “Plan B” pill, this emergency contraception can be used the morning after unprotected sex. It has to be taken within 72 hours in order to be effective. This method is not made to be used as a regular birth control but instead as an emergency method in the cases of forgotten birth control, birth control failure, or rape.
As you can see, you have plenty of different birth control options. That means, you can choose one that will best suit your lifestyle. Be sure to discuss the birth control option you would prefer with your doctor so that it can be determined if it is the best choice based on your health and wellbeing.