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Factors to consider when selecting a birth control method
How well does it protect me from sexually transmitted infections (S T I’ s)?
How important is avoiding pregnancy at this time in your life?
Obtaining Birth Control From the Student Health Center
If you want to avoid pregnancy, it's
recommended that you get objective, accurate, up-to-date information on all
available birth control methods before you make a decision about which one to
use. To discuss birth control and to be evaluated by a LAMAR SHC healthcare
provider for those methods that require a prescription. Your provider will
evaluate you to see if there are medical reasons why you can't use a particular
birth control method and will then support the choice you make among the choices
that are medically appropriate for you. If you're not satisfied with the method
you choose, you can always change to a different one.
Optimal effectiveness of any birth control
method depends upon its correct and consistent use. And the more compatible you
are with your method, the more likely you are to use it correctly and
consistently. Before choosing a method, ask yourself the following questions:
Hormonal methods DO NOT reduce your
risk of STI’s. Therefore, condoms should be used for all acts of intercourse
when your sexual partner has had a previous partner or when you can't be
absolutely sure that your partner does not have an STI -- and being
absolutely sure is very difficult.
Contraceptive methods
differ in effectiveness if they're used perfectly as well as varying in
effectiveness if they're used as most "typical" users do. If pregnancy
prevention is very important to you, you'll probably want to consider a method
with both high perfect and typical use effectiveness rates.
Will a particular method
"fit" with your lifestyle, personal characteristics and your sexual
circumstances and aesthetics?
- Will you be able to
either negotiate the use of condoms or make a decision to abstain?
- Do you have a
comfortable level of communication and trust with your partner?
- Does your partner
support the use of a particular contraceptive method?
- Will you both be
willing and able to stop lovemaking to insert or put on your method before
intercourse?
- Are you comfortable
touching yourself to insert vaginal contraceptive methods?
- Can you remember to
take a pill daily? Do you have an alarm on a cell phone or PDA to help you
with this?
- Can you organize
yourself to remember when to change a contraceptive patch or vaginal ring or
when to return for your next Depo Provera shot?
- Are you comfortable
with the potential side effects of some methods?
- Can you afford a
particular method?
Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Knowing
the effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and cost of each is important to
your decision-making. Ultimately, the best method will be the one with which you
and your partner are comfortable and will use correctly each and every time you
have intercourse.
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