There are so many different kinds of contraception options available to today's woman, she can basically pick the one that works best for her and her partner---whether she wants a temporary form of birth control or a more lasting form. She also can pick between types that use hormones and those that don't. Of course, if she doesn't want to introduce anything new to her body, she can choose a more natural route, such as natural family planning or calendar planning, but to do either of these, it is crucial she knows her own body and that she time her periods and ovulation to help prevent pregnancy.
Birth Control Pills
These are probably the most common form of contraceptive used because the patient can stop taking them at anytime. The doctor prescribes these; depending on the patient's choice, she can choose to have a pill with different types of hormones that prevent her body from ovulating or she can take one that has progestin, which helps prevent the egg from implanting in the uterus. Pills are usually taken on a daily basis for a certain number of days per month, and then the patient has a week off to menstruate. There are options available, such as Lybrel, which allows the patient to have no period at all, or Seasonale, which allows the patient less periods, as in four per year.
Implants
Implants that contain hormones, such as Norplant, are injected into the arm---they are slow releasers of progestin. They work much like the progestin-only birth control pills by not allowing the egg to implant and even by stopping the woman from ovulating. It's economical because it lasts for five years. This type has a 100 percent success rate. This type of contraceptive is also able to be taken out whenever the woman is ready to do so.
Injections
The Depo-Provera shot is fairly popular. It, too, uses progestin to inhibit pregnancy from occurring. This type lasts for up to three months. One drawback to this form is that if the patient wants to get pregnant, she will have to possibly wait a year before the Depo is completely out of her system.
IUDs
IUDs are an easy method of birth control, especially for the patient who has trouble forgetting to take a pill every day or a woman who just doesn't want to have to think about birth control. IUD stands for intrauterine device; they have a 98 percent or more success rate. As soon as the IUD is taken out, the woman can start trying to get pregnant, so it offers a fast turnaround. One type of IUD releases levonorgestrel or progesterone. Levonorgestrel types only have to be changed after five years, while the others once a year. One type of levonorgestrel IUD is Mirena. Yet another type of IUD is ParaGard, which has copper in it and lasts for 10 years.
The Patch
For a woman who doesn't want to have anything inserted or injected, but doesn't want to take a pill every day, either, the patch may be an answer. This patch is called Ortho Evra and only has to be changed once a week. The patient wears the patch for three weeks, then has one week for her period.
NuvaRing
This type of contraceptive is a ring that contains estrogen and progestin; the difference is that they are both discharged within the vagina to prevent pregnancy. The woman wears it for three weeks and takes it out for her period in the fourth week.
Other Forms of Contraception
Other forms of contraception exist, such as condoms a man wears during sex. If the couple decides they want no more children, they can take a more permanent route, including the woman having her fallopian tubes tied in a surgical procedure; the man also can have what is called a vasectomy to cut the travel route, the vas deferens, for the sperm.
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