Birth Control Q & A

What are my options for short-term birth control?

A range of short-acting methods of birth control is available. Hormone-based options include:

Contraceptive pills
Birth control shot
Vaginal ring

All these methods reduce the likelihood of conception by regulating or preventing ovulation, but they have a higher incidence of failure than long-term methods of birth control.

Barrier methods that prevent sperm from entering the uterus are also available, such as condoms, sponges, caps, or diaphragms. You can use a spermicide at the same time to kill any sperm that escapes the barrier, but again, failure rates are higher than those of long-term birth control methods.

What are my options for long-term birth control?

There are several long-term birth control options available:

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
IUDs are small T-shaped inserts that Dr. Leibman fits inside your uterus. Hormonal IUDs release progestin, a hormone that thickens cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to reach or fertilize the egg. Failure rates for IUDs are very low, at about 1%, and a hormonal IUD can last for several years before it needs replacing.

Copper IUDs
Copper IUDs don’t contain any hormones. The copper in the device makes the environment in your body toxic to sperm, keeping them from reaching the egg. Should fertilization take place, the IUD prevents a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus. Copper IUDs can last up to 10 years.

Hormonal implants
Hormonal implants are small flexible rods about the size of a matchstick that contains progestin. They work in the same way as a hormonal IUD, but Dr. Leibman inserts them into your arm rather than your uterus. Implants have a failure rate of under 1% and can last for up to five years.

Which is the most effective form of birth control?

While there’s no method of birth control that is completely 100% effective, the way you use birth control has an impact on how well-protected you are against pregnancy. The method you choose needs to be one that you are likely to stick with and use correctly for optimum protection.

It’s also important to remember that except for condoms, birth control options don’t protect you against sexually transmitted diseases, so unless you’re in a long-term, monogamous relationship, you may wish to use condoms in addition to other methods of birth control.

What if I want permanent birth control?

If you’re sure you never want to get pregnant and need a permanent solution for birth control, you and your partner may want to consider sterilization. While males might undergo a vasectomy, women have tubal ligation as a permanent birth control option. If you have questions about which permanent birth control solution is best for you, Dr. Leibman can walk through all of your options.

To learn more about your options for birth control, call the team at Maurice Leibman, M.D. & Associates, or make an appointment online.