11 Different Types of Birth Control and Which You Should Use

Over the past few years, birth control has been one of the solutions provided to family planning programs. Aside from married couples who want to delay their parenthood, most casual couples opt for birth control for several reasons like the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and future abortion which are definitely inhumane to many people around the world.

There are many ways to practice birth control. The only caveat in this practice is its effectiveness to do its purpose. There are cases of couples practicing birth control but failed in the long run. However, it does not have to be a question on its effectiveness. Most birth controls in the market and the local health centers have their own instructions on how to do it – whether you take pills, use condoms, or perform genital surgeries. Our lifestyle affects the effectiveness of birth control too in terms of our sexual activities, work environment, and intake of other medications. Either way, birth control is not 100% effective, but doing it right and being able to maintain it would surely make birth control work to your advantage.

Contrary to popular belief that only women are practicing birth control, the opposite sex also has to do his part in making sure his partner does not get pregnant at the wrong time. There are practices and tools that a man can use to ensure he does not impregnate someone.

One of the most popular birth control devices for males is the condom. There are many drugstores, convenience stores, and other merchandise outlets that sell these at various brands and materials. Some even offer flavors in order to add more satisfaction to the user and his partner. However the condoms come when you purchase it, the main purpose of this elastic balloon-like device is to protect the woman from getting fertilized by the man’s sperm cells by containing the semen inside the condom. However, this is not a guarantee. Most condoms have specific environmental conditions to meet in order not to break from within and leak out semen.

If a man wants to have sex without worries on getting a woman pregnant, vasectomy is one of the best solutions to stop him from ejaculating sperm cells to a woman’s vagina. However, this birth control option could be non-reversible. If it is, there is no guarantee that a man can regain his fertility after undoing a vasectomy.

There are other practices a man can follow in order not to impregnate a woman yet continuously enjoy the sexual pleasures of both couples and protecting his fertility too. Outercourse and withdrawal are good birth control practices. However, they may require an ample amount of discipline in order to control the sexual levels of the couple.

There are a lot of birth control practices specially set for women. They may come in the form of contraception pills, in-genital devices, and surgeries.

The most available birth control method for women is the use of contraceptive pills. This does not require any doctor recommendation and can be bought over-the-counter (OTC) at your nearest pharmacy. However, not all pills are available for OTC as some are given to treat hormonal imbalances, vaginal problems, and other reproductive health issues.

The most well-known contraceptive pills are:

This is the most common contraceptive pill that contains hormones capable of preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg and making movement harder for sperm cells to move towards the egg.

Also known as progesterone-only pills, these are taken among women who have problems with taking in estrogen, which is included in combined contraceptive pills. This is best taken for lactating women, those above forty years old, and those having weight problems and blood pressure issues. Women who smoke and want to take contraceptives are advised to take mini pills. However, the dosage of these pills is strict and must be taken in regularly, at a specific hour of the day, and should not be skipped or missed even once.

These are contraceptives with lower levels of hormones and are best recommended for older women who find the combined contraceptive pills too much and do not want to take mini pills.

This is a birth control device that stops ovulation from happening through a release of hormones that prevents fertilization from happening. This will also create a mucus lining that will block genital paths, preventing your egg cell from interacting with any sperm cell. Also, this is one of the most affordable birth control devices in the market today, and this is usually given out for free from your local health centers and health insurance partners.
 

Popularly known as NuvaRing, this birth control device is inserted into the vagina. You will easily know that you placed it right because you will feel it inside while doing your regular activities. This is also a good birth control practice as this will allow you to have sexual intercourse without having to remove it. However, the only catch of this practice is its regular replacement. This must be done at a scheduled time of the month and should be replaced with a newer vaginal ring that is not expired or damaged.
 

This is considered effective in birth control only when you regularly put it in every month. For those who wish to experience their periods, they may need to remove it before they have their menstruation.

Should you feel uncomfortable taking in pills or adding vaginal rings to control your reproductive ability, then there are other methods of birth control that you can practice.

For those who only want to control their reproductive parts temporarily, especially during sex, women can use internal condoms. These types of condoms are similar to a man’s condom, though inversely placed inside a woman’s vagina. This serves as a temporary blockage of the cervix and stops any semen from coming inside the woman’s reproductive organs. However, this would be an uncomfortable experience for a woman who will use it for the first time. In the long run, internal condoms can be manageable and would ensure you almost 100% protection from unwanted pregnancy.
 

If you aim for longer sterilization without the need to perform surgery on your own reproductive organ, birth control implants are the best options. A birth control implant functions like a vaginal ring, but this matchstick-like implant is inserted in your arm. This is also highly preferred because it requires low maintenance and is not costly.

Another low-maintenance birth control practice you can take advantage of is the Intrauterine Device (IUD). This is a T-shaped, flexible, plastic contraption that is inserted to the uterus of a woman. The main function of this device is to block the sperm cells’ movement from the cervix to the fallopian tube. Two types of IUD include hormonal and non-hormonal IUDs.

The primary function of the IUD is to create a mucus lining in the uterus that will block passageways going to the ovaries. Also, the egg produced by the ovary could not flow towards the fallopian tube due to the blockage. This is considered one of the most effective and low maintenance birth control practices women follow. This costs less too, and it can even be obtained from your nearest health centers. Although the insertion of the device could be an uncomfortable experience, this should help women control the passageways where reproduction occurs.

Popularly known as Depo-Provera shots, birth control injections are designed to stop you from ovulation – the process where egg cells are formed in the ovary. Through the hormone progestin, depo shots disallow you from getting pregnant by making your ovary dysfunctional.

As much as this birth control practice requires low maintenance, the shot has to be regularly administered to you every three months (12-13 weeks’ interval). This is usually administered by a doctor or a nurse, but a skilled health worker can also do it for you. This is usually given for free at your local health centers, but some clinics offer quality, longer-lasting shots at an added price. Also, it is possible to bring these shots home for you to do the shot yourself if you are skilled and brave enough to do it.

There are short-term and long-term side effects in doing birth control practices. Here are some of them:

• Hormonal imbalances leading to cramps, sores, and other visible body pains
• Erectile dysfunction for men
• Infertility (both men and women)
• Defects in pregnancy (including but not limited to still childbirth, child deformity, childbirth problems)
• Lactation problems

There are other health issues that were related to the use and practice of birth control. However, it has not been directly linked as a lifestyle and food intake can also go along with the side effects of birth control.

Having a romantic relationship would engage our sexual desires. This could not be helped especially when things become intimate. However, birth control is a responsibility everyone should take upon. Abortion has been a leading issue all over the world now, and unwanted pregnancy has been one of its root causes. It is always recommended to follow certain birth control practices, but it is best remembered that abstinence, discipline, and self-consciousness are the best practices to lead an intimate relationship without worries of having a child at the wrong time.