Tips for Choosing a Birth Control Method
Wondering which birth control method is right for you? Get the facts to help you choose.
Oct 12, 2021
Jun 19, 2024
Created With SupportAlex Fulton has been working in the wellness field for more than 20 years. She has written extensively about integrative medicine, herbalism, supplements and other topics related to holistic health. Alex also focuses on issues related to women's health, from menstruation to menopause. She has collaborated with physicians, midwives and functional medicine practitioners to promote natural approaches to health care for women. She has a BA in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Wondering which birth control method is right for you? Get the facts to help you choose.
There Are 2 Types of Birth Control
Non-hormonal birth control
usually functions as a barrier between sperm and egg or disables the sperm from moving.
Options include regular condoms, the internal condom (FC2) sponge (Today), cervical cap (FemCap), copper IUD (Paragard), diaphragm (Caya and Milex) and vaginal gel (Phexxi).
Benefits
Hormonal birth control
Works by stopping ovulation, thickening the cervical mucus or thinning the lining of the uterus.
Options include birth control pills, vaginal ring (NuvaRing and ANNOVERA), stick-on patches (Xulane and Twirla), implants (Nexplanon), shots (Depo-Provera) and hormonal IUDs (Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta and Skyla).
Benefits
Health conditions that may be helped by hormonal birth control:
What about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV?
Only condoms (made from latex or polyurethane, not lambskin) provide protection from STIs and HIV.
Which birth control is right for your lifestyle?
Here are some questions to consider before talking to your healthcare provider:
Worried about the cost of birth control?
Still not sure which birth control is best for your body? Talk to your healthcare provider. Together, you can choose a type that suits your unique needs.
This resource was created with support from Evofem Biosciences.