Which Type of Birth Control Is Right For You?

Pills, patches, condoms, sponges, rings — there are any number of ways in which you can prevent an unplanned pregnancy. In fact, the sheer number of options may seem overwhelming.

To help you make better sense of your choices so you can make an informed birth control decision, our team of skilled health care providers here at LaSante Health Center presents the following.

Different approaches to birth control

A good way to narrow down your birth control options is to figure out which method is right for you. Generally speaking, there are three ways in which you can prevent an unplanned pregnancy:

Barrier birth control

Any method that prevents sperm from reaching, and fertilizing, an egg falls under barrier control. Included in this category are condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, intrauterine devices (IUDs), tubal ligation, and sponges.

Hormonal birth control

Another approach for preventing pregnancy is to regulate your ovulation, which we can do with hormonal medications.

Natural birth control

If you’d prefer a more natural approach to birth control, you can try abstinence, withdrawal, and fertility awareness.

Efficacy is important

If you want true protection, it helps to understand the efficacy rating of the birth control option you’re considering. To give you an idea, here’s a sample:

• IUD — 99%
• Implant — 99%
• Injections — 96%
• Condoms — 87%
• Sponges — 78-86%
• Withdrawal — 78%
• Fertility awareness — 77-98%

If you don’t see the birth control option you’re considering here, click on this link for more information.

Ease of use

Another consideration may be more lifestyle-oriented — you want a birth control method that works well with your lifestyle. 

For example, there are long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as IUDs and birth control pellets that you don’t have to give much thought to, rather than on-the-spot methods like condoms and diaphragms.

Many birth control options require effort on your part, such as remembering to take a daily pill, and their efficacy goes down considerably if you skip a dose. Or perhaps you forget to apply spermicide to your diaphragm, cap, or sponge, which can also lower protection considerably.

If you’re comfortable with being proactive about your birth control, short-acting methods may be right for you. But if you lead a busy life and you don’t want to think about birth control, you may want to consider longer-acting methods.

A choice that makes you comfortable

Ultimately, the choice is yours when it comes to birth control. We’re happy to sit down with you to review your lifestyle, your goals, and any other considerations or concerns you may have so that we can guide you in the right direction.

Once you make your decision, we’re happy to help you move forward.

To learn more about your options in birth control, contact our Brooklyn, New York, clinic. We serve the Flatbush and East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Park Slope, Little Haiti, Little Caribbean, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens communities.