What birth control options are available?

Barrier methods. Examples include male and female condoms, as well as the diaphragm, cervical cap and contraceptive sponge. Short-acting hormonal methods. ... Long-acting hormonal methods. ... Sterilization. ... Spermicide or vaginal gel. ... Fertility awareness methods.

My experience : Birth Control journey from 14 to 19 years old

Pill/Nuvaring/Kyleena IUD

So I first started birth control around 14 years old. I, like all young uterus-havers, went straight for the pill. It was simple and non-intrusive. The first brand that I went on made me feel like I had a UTI. So I switched to a different brand. Overall, I'd recommend to skip the pill. It really just doesn't work out unless you're on top of it. I'd miss it by a few hours and get worried. I'd miss a day and then get worried. If you're going into birth control, skip the pill. It's very high-maintenance.

I decided that the pill was too much for me and I'd have trouble taking it on time, so my doctor recommended the nuvaring or the patch. Both are very simple. Medium maintenance. I went for the nuvaring. You put it in, forget about it for 3 weeks, and then take it out for a week (period). You can also just leave it in for 4 weeks and then replace it with a new one if you don't want a period. It was really nice. I was definitely better on the ring than the pill. I'd recommend it for anyone. The reason I chose the ring over the patch is because it worried me that it's basically a sticker that you put on your body. I just felt like it would come off easy.

Just recently, I've realized that I've gained more weight on the ring and I've been having some pms issues that I didn't have before. I did a lot of research into all types of birth control. I wanted something long lasting, low-maintenance, and wouldn't be affected by me being a bigger person. While I would love to be sterilized, my insurance doesn't cover that. So, next best thing, the IUD. I first wanted to go with the copper iud, because the "no hormones" really stuck out to me. But then I learned that copper iuds usually make periods longer, heavier, and with worse cramps. So I looked into hormonal ones. Hormonal IUDs expell a little bit of hormones just to the uterus. Hormones from IUDs barely make it into the bloodstream. I don't know why I didn't consider an IUD before. Yes, it's a little scary. But once you go through 5-10 minutes of the insertion, you're protected for 3-8 years! No daily pill, no checking on your patch or ring, no condoms, no spermicide.

I went to my doctor and asked about IUDs. She recommended me Kyleena because the Mirena is bigger. Since I haven't gone through pregnancy, my uterus would be on the smaller side. She needed to order the IUD and have it delivered, so we scheduled to insert it when I should be on my period (so that the cervix is softer and open).

So yeah. Let's hope the last step in my journey is getting my tubes tied/removed. I'm happy to answer any questions about the birth control I've mentioned, but I probably won't have good answers for the Pill since it was so long ago.

Also congrats to Mirena and Liletta havers as both IUDs have recently gotten FDA approved for 8 years!

submitted by /u/Starboi7
[link] [comments]

Milan Tomic

Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.