Permanent Birth Control: Understanding Your Options

1. While booking your appointment, let them know that you would like to talk about your permanent birth control options so that you have ample time for that discussion.
2. Bring a checklist of questions to your appointment to help guide the conversation.
3. Let your health care professional know what is most important to you when looking at your options.
4. Take notes.
5. If you don't understand your doctor's responses, keep asking questions until you do.
6. Ask your doctor to write down information or give you printed materials that you can take home.

Is permanent birth control a good option for me?
Your readiness for permanent birth control will depend a lot on your life circumstances. Here are some questions to ask when contemplating this option:

• Am I done having children?
• Do I want a permanent method of birth control?
• Am I happy with my current form of birth control and its effectiveness?
• Do I constantly worry about having an undesired pregnancy?
• Am I comfortable using hormonal birth control?
• Would I like a type of birth control that I don't have to worry about anymore?
• Is my partner sure that he does not want a pregnancy in the future?
• Am I considering this just because my partner wants it?
• If my circumstances change, such as my marital status, is there a chance I may want to get pregnant?
• Do I have medical issues that may make pregnancy unsafe?
• Have I discussed all my options with my health care provider?

How do you know you're done?
Women consider many factors when making a decision about whether they are done having children. Age is the most commonly cited factor that goes into the decision, followed by financial situation and having the number of children they wanted. What's more, the majority of the women surveyed expressed satisfaction, happiness or relief with their decision to be done. Only a small percentage (9 percent) felt regret, often attributed to a change in their life circumstances. Therefore, it's important to consider what's happening in your life at the time of your decision. Times when you may choose to delay your decision about permanent birth control could include the following:

• If you are young. You may decide you would like to have children in the future. Permanent birth control is just that—permanent—and cannot always be reversed.
• If you are recently divorced or in an unstable marriage. Avoid making such a big decision during this or any other very stressful time.
• If your life circumstances are changing. The most common factor associated with regret is a change in marital status.
• Immediately postpartum. During this time, you could be feeling a lot of different things that may change a few months down the line.

If you are having difficulties making up your mind, consider going for counseling, either alone or with your partner. Talking about your concerns can help.