A decision to start a family should always be well-thought, planned, and definitely not accidental in the life of every person who wants natural family planning. That is why the number of birth control options out there grows incredibly fast, and there is definitely something to choose from.
Due to this fact, let’s discuss this topic in more detail. What are the most common ways to prevent pregnancy, and what methods are the most effective? Which one is the leader in this sphere? Everything and even more is in the article. Enjoy!
What are the most popular forms of birth control in the United States?
Commonly used birth control methods in the USA are divided into 5 categories; each one includes various products that are prescribed by the doctor depending on the person’s goals, health condition, budget, and other different factors. We’ll have a closer look at each one, so you would have a better understanding of this topic:
- Short-acting hormonal ones. This one includes pills that should be taken daily (it could be progestin-only pills, hormonal pills, etc. The type should be chosen by a health care provider), shots (applied every three months), patches that are changed weekly, vaginal ring replaced monthly. All of those are prescription and can cause serious side effects, so the person should learn more about them before making the decision;
- Prolonged contraception. This type includes two options – implant inserted into the upper arm and intrauterine device placed in the uterus. Those last from 3 to 10 years (depending on the type and kind of product) and can only be placed by a professional in a clinic. They are effective in 99% but cannot protect from sexually transmitted diseases, so be aware of that;
- Barrier contraception method. Those are one-time methods that are used during actual sexual intercourse. They include male condoms, female condoms, cervical caps, spermicide, etc. National center for health statistics reports show these are effective 70-80% of the time, so it is recommended to combine them together with other methods in order to protect the person from any sexually transmitted infection or unwanted pregnancy;
- Permanent contraceptive method (also known as long-acting reversible contraceptives). This type counts two variants – fallopian tubes ligation (for females) and vasectomy (for males). This is the only method that is 100% effective and reversible. The recovery process after this procedure takes only a few days; however, there are chance fertility abilities in the body may not come back, so male and female sterilization is a very important decision to make;
- Emergency birth control. If a contraceptive of choice failed or people did not use one, it is still possible to prevent undesirable pregnancy. It is possible to use a copper IUD or pills (there are two types: prescription, also known as “plan B,” or over-the-counter one “Ella”). Read everything about side effects and consult with a doctor before taking one, so there would be no complications.
Some of these methods for preventing pregnancy may cause health benefits in people; however, complications are also very common (especially in younger women). That is why it is crucial to do all the needed tests and doctor’s consultations before choosing contraceptive methods to avoid unintended pregnancy. Remember, health should always be a priority.
Why pills are considered to be a number-one birth control method
As surveys show, among contraceptive methods, women aged from 16 to 50 use the most pills take the first place. It is one of the hormonal methods, one of the most available birth control options, and is the most convenient. Moreover, it is also effective in regulating the menstrual cycle in some women, exceptionally heavy flows and different hormonal and skin problems.
However, not a lot of women are aware that pills can also cause various complications in the body. For example, most women experience sudden weight gain and mood swings right after starting taking this type of medication. Not only that, those are not effective in disease control in those who are sexually active and do not have one permanent partner, so the presence of a male condom is also a must.
Pills became so popular, male contraceptive pills appeared recently. It is a brand-new product that causes almost zero complications and should be taken daily like those for women. It is a huge step for the medication field, so, hopefully, soon, they will become more common and available for everyone.
Final word
As we already told, a child should always be planned; parents should be ready for this responsible and important step in their lives. That is why contraception is always a must. Various methods are available for different types of people, so everyone can found something suitable especially for them. A doctor’s help is always required, that is why it won’t be too hard to choose. Thank you for reading and take care!