Gone are the days when condoms and the pill are a woman’s only options for preventing unwanted pregnancies. There are many options that utilize different science to regulate your cycle and stop pregnancies before they start. Because every option works differently, it’s important to talk through all of them with a health care provider who can help you find one that best fits your needs, body, and lifestyle.
Plan B
Plan B, sometimes called the morning after pill, is a form of emergency conception that can be used in the event that your primary birth control fails, such as if a condom breaks. It is only effective in the first 72 hours after unprotected intercourse and even if taken within that window doesn’t guarantee pregnancy prevention.
The morning after pill will not end an existing pregnancy. Side effects vary widely but may include everything from nausea to dizziness. It is also important to note that Plan B loses efficacy in women over a certain weight.
The Pill
The pill has been a mainstay in birth control since its first appearance in the 1920s. The pill works using combinations of hormones to delay ovulation and thicken vaginal mucus to make it more difficult for sperm to join with an egg to fertilize it.
There are two different kinds of birth control pills:
- Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills (COCs)
- Progestin-only Pills (POPs)
Combined oral contraceptive pills contain two hormones progestin and estrogen and are the most common variety of birth control pills. Progestin-only pills only contain progestin.
Different manufacturers use different doses of these hormones in their birth control pills and it can take time to find the one that works best with a particular woman’s body. Because of their different compositions and the unique characteristics of any woman’s body, side effects for the pill can vary a great deal.
One of the most common gripes regarding the pill is that is a high maintenance option. Users have to remember to take the pill at the same time every day or they risk the pills losing their efficacy.
Implants
Implanted birth control is a newer innovation that provides long-term, low-maintenance birth control to women who are looking for protection similar to what they could get from the pill, without needing to remember to take it every day.
Birth control implants use the same hormones as the pill to suppress ovulation and thicken vaginal mucus. They are inserted under the skin of the upper arm and usually lasts for three years before it needs to be removed and replaced.
For women who change their minds about contraception, the implant can be removed at any time and they’ll be able to get pregnant shortly thereafter.
IUDs
IUDs, or intrauterine devices, are small T-shaped devices that are inserted into the uterus. There are two different kinds of IUDs, one that uses copper and one that uses hormones. Hormonal IUDs work similarly to other forms of hormonal birth control, while copper ones create inflammation in the uterus that sperm cannot survive.
IUDs are another long-term, low-maintenance birth control option. Depending on the manufacturer, an IUD can last anywhere from 3 to 10 years before it needs to be replaced. Like the implant, an IUD can be removed at any time if a woman changes her mind and decides to try to become pregnant.
Birth control and family planning are deeply personal decisions, but should always be made with the involvement of a healthcare professional.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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