birth control pills- used by the female, these hormones (usually estrogen +progesterone) that the female takes AT THE SAME TIME EACH DAY. these hormones interfere with ovulation. they will give you a 28 day cycle (with 21 days active hormones, 7 days of placebo to allow for monthly bleeding). pros- highly effective (98%), nothing has to be applied or inserted before sex, protects against certain cancers such as uterine and ovarian, controls your cycle and suppresses symptoms of things like endometriosis/PCOS, may decrease acne and allow for lighter periods, there are now options that only require you have a period every 3 months, if you prefer that. cons- risk of blood clots (especially if over 35 y/o and smoker), breast CA risk increases with hormones, must be used daily at the same time and cannot forget a dose or efficacy goes down, certain meds interact w/ the pill and you lose efficacy, it's a real drug that requires a prescription and some people have unpleasant side effects like weight gain, mood changes, lowered libido, etc (there are a variety of pills on the market- can be adjusted to avoid these side effects), some people have spotting (usually goes away after the first few cycles).
condoms- used by the male, these are latex/plastic sheaths that roll down over the penis (not the testicles). they need to fit snugly so that they will not come off during intercourse, but not so tightly that they hurt or make it difficult for the male to feel sensation. might need to experiment with sizes. most condoms have some spermicide (sperm killing jelly) already in them, but some spermicidal lubricant used on the inside and outside also helps in making them more effective. CONDOMS MUST BE WORN THE ENTIRE TIME OF INTERCOURSE not just slipped on before the male thinks he's ready to come (there is a pre-ejaculate with sperm in it that you might not even notice, but it might be carrying your future progeny in it). pros- cheap, also act as barrier to sexually transmitted diseases, if that is a concern, available without a prescription. a good backup plan in case your other BC method is questioned for some reason, does not require prior planning/daily use (like the pill), cons- only 75% effective (if used completely properly, will prevent 3/4 pregnancies), they do expire and need to be replaced over time, men complain about decreased sensation with even ones that fit properly, smell unpleasant, some people have local skin reactions to latex.
birth control patch (Ortho Evra)- used by the female, beige, plastic patch that sticks to the skin of your abdoment/back/arm and releases estrogen/progesterone. patch is changed once a week x 3 weeks and then left off for the week of menses each month. pros- nothing to take daily, nothing to apply before sex, same advantages and effectiveness as the pill, cons- possible (unlikely) skin irritation or difficulty keeping the patch stuck on skin, also all cons same as the hormone birth control pill, requires prescription
vaginal ring (Nuvaring)- used by the female, this is a ring inserted into the back of the vagina and left in for 3 wks, taken out for 1 wk of menses each month. it releases the same hormones as the pill or patch (to stop ovulation). pros- only need to deal with it a few times a month to insert/remove, nothing to apply before sex, same perks and effectiveness as other hormone applications like the pill, easy to use and most women report not even noticing it when it's in, but easy to remove when it's time to take out, cons- all the same as other hormone BC's, also, MUST REMEMBER TO CHANGE IT ON THE CORRECT DAY OF YOUR CYCLE, if it does slip out, must be cleaned and replaced within 3 hrs. requires prescription.
hormone shot (Depo Provera)- used by the female, it's a shot in the arm that releases progesterone into the system and prevents ovulation for 3 months at a time. pros- no daily pill or need to apply anything before sex, in fact you only have to deal with it every 3 months, does not contain estrogen so better for people who cannot take estrogen or are breastfeeding, otherwise, same pros as other hormone BC's. cons- a lot of people complain of spotting while on it (may improve over time) and abnormal periods once they've discontinued using it, otherwise, same cons as other hormonal BC's. requires prescription.
IUD (intrauterine device)- this is a T-shaped device inserted into the uterus by your ob/gyn with a string that hangs slightly into the vagina for easy removal when the time comes. they effect the lining of the uterus and the mobility of sperm. one type also prevents ovulation. it is long lasting, meant to stay in for years, so you must be determined not to attempt to have children for several years, or it may not be worth the cost. it is made of either copper (ParaGard- can stay in for 12 yrs) or flexible, medical grade plastic and releases progesterone (Mirena- can stay in for 5 yrs). pros- extremely low maintenance. very effective- 99%. long lasting. the ParaGard does not contain hormones at all. ok to use while breast feeding. once removed, ability to get pregnant quickly resumes. cons- very expensive, so have to make sure you are not planning to remove it to attempt to have children for many years. potential discomfort when inserted, possible spotting/abnormal periods for a few months afterward, rarely they do fall out, in which case they are not protecting against pregnancy, can also increase chance of infection (risk of pelvic inflammatory disease less than it was when originally came out, but not recommended for people with hx PID, clamidia, gonorrhea), rarely they can erode through the uterine lining, which can cause major problems and potentially require surgery.
Implant (Implanon)- used on female, thin (matchstick size) rod place under the skin on the arm by your ob/gyn in the office. can stay there for 3 yrs. releases progesterone, so prevents ovulation. pros- extremely effective- 99%. long lasting. no estrogen. easy to be fertile again once removed. can use while breast feeding. low maintenance. other pros as with other hormonal BC's. cons- the same as other hormonal BC's, minor procedure to have it inserted/removed.
other options, less effective/common- the following are all hormone-free ways to prevent pregnancy. "natural family planning/fertility awareness methods" used by the female, is a neat way to follow your ovulation cycle to know when it is 'safe' to have sex and when you are likely to get pregnant- requires daily temperature checks and cervical mucous checks, and possibly ovulation predictor kits. work intensive and YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY DILIGENT with it, but 75-85% effective if you do it all correctly. similar efficacy for also the "diaphragm," the "female condom," "the cervical cap" and the "sponge"- these are barrier devices inserted into the vagina before sex and removed afterward, used in conjunction with spermicide. the female condom also protects against STD's. obviously, all of these are only 75-85% effective when used completely correctly, and there is little room for error. they also must be applied before sex, which might mess up your mojo. and can be messy afterward. but the advantage is you are adding no hormones/chemicals to your body. another natural pregnancy prevention is breast feeding. clearly, this would be after you have a child and it can be over 90% effective if you are regularly breast feeding. i have known several people who got pregnant while still nursing their infants, so do some research before you attempt to use this form alone. using the "pull out method" (where the male removes his penis before ejaculating) or just spermicides by themselves is just dumb. it's not enough and there's only a 70% effectiveness on those. don't be dumb.
extreme options that i would only recommend if you are 100000% certain you don't want kids- Vasectomy (male surgical sterilization) or Tubal ligation/hysterectomy (female surgical sterilization). less than 1% failure rate for these, but again, they are pretty much permanent and (usually) there's no going back.
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