How to Determine the Right Type of Birth Control for You

With birth control, you decide when you’re ready to become pregnant, and when you want to prevent pregnancy. Today, you have lots of forms of birth control to choose from! All types of birth control work to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

At Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, experienced OB/GYN Dr. Mary Grace Bridges can help you evaluate your birth control options and pick the right choice for you, your lifestyle, and your reproductive health. Dr. Bridges prescribes birth control for new and existing patients from her locations in Odessa and Midland, Texas.

Here are some key points you should consider when you’re deciding what type of birth control is best for you.

Birth control, barrier methods, and safer sex

Some types of birth control only work to prevent pregnancy. If you’re using hormonal birth control pills or an intrauterine device (IUD) to protect against pregnancy, you should know that you’re not protected against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Barrier methods of birth control like condoms also keep you safe from STDs. If you’re at risk for STDs, barrier methods might be right for you. Or, you can double up on birth control methods, using medication to prevent pregnancy and barrier methods to prevent STDs.

Birth control and your hormonal health

Many types of birth control, like the birth control pill, the patch, and the birth control shot, use synthetic hormones to prevent you from becoming pregnant. Different hormonal birth control medications contain different combinations of hormones in different dosages, so you can find a method that works for your unique body.

However, some people prefer not to use hormonal methods of birth control. Hormonal medications can have side effects, or you might have other health reasons for avoiding hormonal medications. If that’s you, don’t worry! You have plenty of options for effective birth control that don’t involve taking hormones.

Birth control and reproductive choice

Another factor that can make a difference in your choice of birth control is how reversible, or not, you’d like your birth control to be.

Maybe you want to be able to prevent pregnancy when you choose, but are also interested in potentially getting pregnant sometime soon. Many forms of birth control stop preventing pregnancy as soon as you stop using them, giving you flexibility and control over your reproduction.

Other forms of birth control are longlasting. Some long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), like an IUD, can be removed easily if you want to get pregnant. Surgical sterilization, while long-acting, doesn’t give you a lot of room to back out and change your mind about preventing pregnancy.

Birth control and convenience

Here’s one last question to consider: how much are you willing or able to plan ahead when it comes to contraception? Some types of birth control need to be prescribed by an OB/GYN like Dr. Bridges. Others you can simply pick up at the drugstore. Ease of access can make a big difference when it comes to how effective your birth control actually is for you in practice!

For help considering all of these issues and finding just the right form of birth control for you, get in touch with Dr. Bridges and the team at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin today. Schedule your initial consultation appointment online or over the phone now.