Various contraception methods can be used to prevent pregnancy. When choosing birth control option, take into account a few factors such as effectiveness, safety, ease of use and price.
An important factor, which is often overlooked when choosing a contraceptive, is to maintain a normal psychology and physiology of sexual intercourse.
By choosing one of the many birth control methods, it is necessary to evaluate its pros and cons and to make sure that this method will not become a reason for deterioration of relations with the sexual partner.
Birth control method can be considered the optimal only if its pros exceed the potential cons in significance. There are no universal criteria for choosing the optimal method of contraception. Therefore, birth control method should be selected individually for each woman.
It is impossible to compare the pros and cons of absolutely all available birth control methods in one review. For a comparative analysis of dozens of methods to prevent pregnancy, it is required to prepare a few tens of publications.
For a brief review of pros and cons of a birth control, several popular methods of contraception can be combined in two separate groups: hormonal and non-hormonal.
Pros and cons of hormonal methods of birth control
Absolute advantage of hormonal contraceptives is their reliability. 99% of women using hormonal contraceptives can be sure that conceiving a child will happen only after the cessation of hormonal therapy.
Different types of hormonal birth control drugs have their pros and cons. The effectiveness of hormonal contraceptive tablets, injections, implants, vaginal rings is absolutely identical (99%).
To select one of these female hormonal contraceptives, it is necessary to analyze their advantages and disadvantages.
A short duration of contraceptive effect is both plus and minus of birth control pills.
- Disadvantage of oral contraceptives is that just one missed dose is sufficient to a woman could get pregnant after unprotected sexual intercourse.
- This disadvantage is considered the advantage for the women, who want to restore the reproductive function in just 1 day.
It should be noted that hormonal pills can be used not only for scheduled, but also for emergency contraception.
- Pros of birth control pills for emergency contraception are that they are able to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse.
- Cons of oral pills for emergency contraception are that their efficiency is much lower than that of birth control pills that need to be taken regularly.
If a woman is not planning to become pregnant within the next 3-4 weeks, she can use vaginal ring for contraception.
- A plus of vaginal contraceptives is that they release low doses of hormones, so their side effects are pronounced not as strongly as when using combined oral contraceptives.
- A minus of vaginal ring for birth control is that after its installation, a woman may experience discomfort.
If a woman wants to be sure, she will not become pregnant in the next few months or years, she can use hormonal drugs for a long-term contraception.
- If a woman wants to reconsider her decision to conceive a child every 3 months, injectable contraceptives can be recommended.
- If a woman does not plan pregnancy and childbirth within 3 years, the doctor may recommend her birth control implants.
Pros and cons of long-term birth control methods are identical.
- An absolute advantage of birth control injections and implants compared to oral pills is that the woman does not need to use them on a daily basis, so there is no the risk of missing the regular dose.
- One of the cons of long-term birth control methods is that the woman cannot install by herself a contraceptive implant or make an injection. Therefore, in addition to the purchase of the hormonal implant or injection, the woman has to pay extra services of the doctor.
After buying birth control pills, the payment of additional medical services is not required.
Having compared the pros and cons of hormonal methods of birth control, you can select one of them and compare it with non-hormonal contraceptive options.
Pros and cons of long-term hormonal contraception can be compared with the advantages and disadvantages of long-term non-hormonal birth control option.
- If a woman is not planning a pregnancy in the next 10 years, she can be recommended copper-containing intrauterine devices.
- If pregnancy is contraindicated in a woman because of serious health problems, the doctor may recommend a procedure of chemical or surgical sterilization.
The effectiveness of a long-term non-hormonal contraception is the same as when using hormonal injections or implants for a long-term contraception.
Barrier contraception methods is the easiest and affordable non-hormonal method of preventing pregnancy.
- Pros of barrier contraception are in the absence of contraindications and side effects.
- Cons of barrier birth control are in the low efficiency and the need to use before every sexual act.
Information on pros and cons of different types of barrier contraceptives can be found in one of our reviews. If you want to get more information about the pros and cons of birth control, please, ask your questions by phone or email.
You can buy non-hormonal and hormonal birth control medicines online and ask a pharmacist all your questions at any convenient time, anywhere in the world.