Birth control enables couples prevent unwanted pregnancies, and achieve protection against sexually transmitted diseases in some cases. While in the past birth control used to apply mainly to women, men also have choices. The condom is definitely the most common form of birth control, particularly when you are not involved in a stable relationship. The birth control options vary depending on a number of elements that you can determine from the questions below.
Have you got a stable relationship?
How frequently do you change partners?
When do you plan to have a baby?
Have you run any medical tests to assess the health condition?
How often do you have sex?
What is the efficiency level of method? Are there adverse reactions?
Condoms should be the only form of birth control for people who have occasional sex, because this is the only way to stop the infection with sexually transmitted diseases. If you have been in a long-term relationship and you think you can trust your partner, you can discuss other birth control methods such as hormonal pills, barriers, sterilization, intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and so on.
The advantages and disadvantages of a birth control options should be discussed with the health care provider. In some cases, there are major health benefits in some and high risks in others. The effectiveness of the method often comes into discussion. You should be aware of the fact that no birth control method other than abstinence (the choice of not having sex) has a 100% efficiency rate. Some people would even go to the length of combining several birth control methods to be certain that no unwanted pregnancy occurs.
The choice of a birth control method is very difficult for women in more special conditions. Age could be an impediment if the woman is too young or if she approaches menopause. Then, there is chronic disease that reduces the number of birth control choices as well as various physical disabilities.
In addition to conventional birth control methods, there is also emergency contraception. Two pills taken twelve hours apart can prevent unwanted pregnancies if used within maximum five days after the unprotected intercourse. The effect is similar with that of regular hormonal birth control, although the efficiency rate is between 75% and 85%. Emergency birth control has limitations and a higher exposure for adverse reactions.
Tags: birth control, borth control method, pregnancy control, pregnancy miracle