General Information - Page 3

Not everyone chooses to have sex

• Some choose to abstain from intercourse to avoid the risk of pregnancy.

• Others choose to abstain because they are not ready for intercourse, or because they prefer other forms of intimacy.

• If you have made the decision to have intercourse there are many methods of birth control available.

• It is important to remember that your contraception needs may change as your life style and individual needs change.

Choosing a birth control method - how do I decide?

• Please think about your answers to the following questions as you decide which method of birth control is right for you at this time in your life.

• How important is the effectiveness of the method?  Am I comfortable sharing this decision with my partner?

• What responsibility will my partner have in using the method?  Am I comfortable sharing this responsibility with my partner?

• How easy will it be for me to comply with the instructions for use?  What about privacy issues (parents, roommate, friends in the gym, insertion/removal etc.)?

• Will it offer any protection against sexually transmitted infection?

• How does it work?  How will it make me feel?  Are there health benefits or risks?

• How will it affect my period?  Am I comfortable with these changes?

• How soon can I become pregnant after discontinuing the method?

• How easy is it to obtain additional medication and how often do I have to see my health care provider?  What about cost?

Talk with your partner!

Once you have considered these questions, talk with your partner about your decision.  Talking about intercourse and birth control issues may be difficult.  Anticipate the issues of sexuality and talk about it before you are in the middle of a sexual encounter.  Consider choosing a private, quite location when neither of you is rushed - perhaps taking a walk, when it is possible to talk without having to maintain long intervals of direct eye contact but possible to have some physical contact such as holding hands, or perhaps you would prefer a conversation on the phone.

Remember to think about STI's too

While contraception may be a primary focus of your discussion with your partner, it's also important to address issues of sexually transmitted infection (STI).  If either you or your partner has ever had sexual contact with another person there is a risk of sexually transmitted infection.

A word about STI prevention

Latex and polyurethane condoms provide the most protection against STI transmission, but they must be used with every act of intercourse and must be placed on the penis before any sexual contact occurs to effectively reduce this risk.  Many couples decide to combine condom use and a hormonal method of birth control to provide STI protection and a high level of contraceptive effectiveness at the same time.

A note about emergency contraception

Correct and consistent use of your birth control method ensures the highest possible rate of effectiveness; however, condoms break, you may forget to take your pills or to change your patch or forget to get your shot on time.  It this happens to you, of if you have unprotected intercourse, the risk of pregnancy may be reduced by immediately inserting two applicators of spermicide into the vagina.  Emergency contraception pills are also appropriate in these instances.  Call the Dial-A-Nurse at 333-2700 and select Women's Health, for instructions.  Refer to Plan B - Emergency Contraception

How to obtain a method of birth control

All methods with the exception of condoms, female condoms, spermicide and fertility awareness require a recent gynecological exam.  Attendance at a Birth Control Education Class is required if you have never used a hormonal method of contraception and you plan to see a McKinley Health Center provider for your prescription.

What's the best method of birth control?

• There is no single "best method."

• The best method is the one you are informed about, comfortable with an will use consistently.

What do effectiveness ratings mean?

A range of effectiveness is listed for each method of birth control in this class.  The lower rating listed is the "typical effectiveness," rate, which describes the method's effectiveness when used correctly at all times.  Effectiveness statistics are difficult to evaluate because they vary widely depending on the design of the research study.  The method with the highest effectiveness rating may or may not be the "best" method for you.

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