Consider These 3 Factors When Choosing the Right Birth Control for You

Birth control comes in many forms, all of which have benefits and drawbacks, depending on your lifestyle and needs. At Longoria OBGYN in El Paso, Texas, Dr. Leonardo Longoria recommends birth control for women’s health needs like preventing unwanted pregnancy, regulating your menstrual cycle, and even dealing with symptoms of endometriosis.

With all the types of birth control to choose from, making the right selection can be a challenge. Not all forms work equally well for different needs. Here are some important factors that can influence your choice.

Factor 1: Pregnancy prevention vs. hormone regulation

Not everyone starts a birth control regimen for the same reasons. The right type of birth control for you depends on what you’re looking for your birth control to provide.

You might be focused simply on preventing pregnancy. In this case, you may decide based on what type of birth control is most effective at preventing conception and implantation. Most available forms of birth control are highly effective at preventing pregnancy.

You may rely on birth control for hormone or menstrual cycle regulation. You might take birth control to reduce pain from endometriosis or to deal with irregular periods. That means you need hormonal birth control. Barrier methods like condoms or dental dams, or an implanted intrauterine device (IUD) won’t work for your treatment needs.

You might not tolerate hormonal medications well or prefer to avoid hormones. If so, finding non-hormonal methods that work for your needs may be an important part of your reproductive health care.

Factor 2: Lifestyle, birth control, and STD prevention

The right birth control fits your lifestyle. You want your birth control method to match well with your lifestyle in order to enjoy optimum benefits.

If you have multiple partners, either simultaneously or within the space of a year, or if your partner isn’t monogamous, you need to pay attention to STD (sexually transmitted disease) prevention. STDs pass between people through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact.

Hormonal forms of birth control, like the pill, the patch, or the ring, or an IUD, won’t protect you against STDs. STD prevention means you need barrier protection, as in a condom or dental dam. Regular testing also helps protect you and your partner(s) from STDs.

Factor 3: Privacy, personal control, and medication frequency

Some forms of birth control are visible to your partners or others in your household, while some aren’t. Your birth control is an intimate part of your life, and you may need to consider issues of privacy, personal control, and the frequency with which you need to renew your birth control when choosing between methods.

If you take a daily pill, you need to be able to reliably take your pill at about the same time each day. If your pills get lost or you forget a dose, your birth control can become ineffective.

Forms of birth control like an IUD or a birth control shot are discreet and long-lasting. An IUD can prevent pregnancy effectively for as long as five years, while a birth control shot lasts for up to 14 weeks. When you opt for these methods, no one will be able to tell that you’re using birth control unless you choose to disclose it, keeping your reproductive health status private.

For support in finding the right birth control for you, contact Dr. Longoria and the Longoria OBGYN team. Schedule your appointment by calling our office today or requesting a visit online anytime.