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privacy policies
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Detailed descriptions of birth control options
Dr Boyd's office can help you get started right away
with birth control
Please look over this list of contraceptive methods to see which may be
suited to you.
Your personal insurance plan may or may not pay for a particular
brand or type of birth control. Make an appointment with a primary physician
or gynecologist in order to insure continued healthcare.
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES
You will need a prescription to use them.
All of these contraceptives work by providing the body with synthetic
hormones that will keep a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs (which could
then be fertilized by sperm.) In other words, the medication suppresses
ovulation to prevent pregnancy. NOTE: When you first begin, we recommend
that you use a back-up method for a month.
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"The Pill" or oral contraceptives - To
be most effective, the birth control pill needs to be taken at the same
time, every single day. There are many brands and formulations of oral
contraceptive pills. Sometimes one formula or brand maker can be
associated with fewer side effects for you than other types.
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"The Patch" - Ortho Evra is the brand name of
a contraceptive absorbed into the body through the skin. An adhesive patch
is worn for seven days, three weeks in a row. Then no patch is worn, and
at the end of that week the cycle is repeated. To be most effective, the
patches must be changed promptly on the patch change days.
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"The Ring" - Nuva Ring is the brand name of a
contraceptive that is absorbed directly into the body through a woman's
vagina. This medication is released from a soft plastic ring you can
insert yourself. The ring must be put in one time per month, usually for
three weeks. The last ring needs to be taken out and the cycle is repeated
each month with a new ring, in order to continue to prevent pregnancy.
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"The Shot" - Depo Provera is the brand name of
a contraceptive injection. This medication is designed to suppress
ovulation for 13 weeks. Then your healthcare provider must administer
another injection within 13 weeks. It is effective immediately. However,
if you don't get your next injection on time, you may become pregnant
between injections.
INTRAUTERINE DEVICE or IUD
A healthcare provider must place the IUD inside
your uterus and can take it out later if you intend to get pregnant. The IUD
discourages a fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus
(the way a pregnancy usually begins.)
Two are described below:
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"The Paraguard", or copper-T IUD is an IUD
that has no hormones but contains copper which inhibits
sperm. It may be a good choice for women who cannot tolerate hormonal side
effects. One can last ten years.
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"The Mirena" is the brand name of a special IUD
that also releases a hormone. The hormone doesn't usually prevent
ovulation but will thicken the cervical mucus, making it difficult for
sperm to enter. Can last five years.
CONDOMS
Condoms are available in many different stores.
When used, especially correctly, a condom
can catch the sperm to keep it from entering the opening to the uterus.
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Condoms help prevent sexually transmitted infections!
The majority of the population has a sexually transmitted infection of
some type. If you find you are sensitive to latex, some condoms contain
no latex.
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A CONDOM CAN BE USED IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER TYPE OF
BIRTH CONTROL.
When combined with a cervical cap or diaphragm, the contraceptive
effect approaches that of hormonal methods.
CERVICAL CAP or DIAPHRAGM
These are two different devices, either of which must
be specially fitted for you by a clinician. You (or your partner)
then insert it prior to intercourse. Both are designed to cover the opening
to the uterus, holding spermicide there, and must be left in place for eight
hours after intercourse. These methods have a success rate similar to that
of condoms.
SPERMICIDES
Commercially prepared foams, films, or creams that can
destroy sperm on contact are available in stores. Spermicide can make
almost any other method more effective, but should not be relied
on alone.
PERMANENT METHODS
Vasectomy - for males; Tubal Ligation
(same as "tubes tied") or Essure (Tubal Occlusion method) - for
females.
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If you are very sure you do not want to have more
children, you can have surgery for the purpose of permanently preventing
pregnancy.
Usually the surgery can not be reversed.
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These methods do not physically affect sexual
performance.
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