The goal of birth control is universal… to keep you from getting pregnant. But how it accomplishes that goal differs by type of protection.
The most common birth control is the pill. It is taken every day at the same time. The pill stops your body from releasing an egg each month. Without an egg, you can’t get pregnant. The pill also makes it harder for a fertilized egg to implant in your womb. So even if you do ovulate and your egg is fertilized the pregnancy fails within a day. You don’t even know you were pregnant.
The pills main advantage is ease of use. You still have periods and feel normal. You just don’t get pregnant.
The downside of pills is twofold. First you have to remember to take them. Second, they offer no protection against sexually transmitted diseases (std). You should only rely on the birth control pill when you are in a stable relationship with a guy you know isn’t infected with an std.
Condoms are very popular amongst teens. That popularity wears off as you get into the 20 something crowd that have usually switched to pills. Condoms are the only type of birth control that doesn’t require a visit to your doctor. Best of all condoms prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. When you have a new partner or often have different partners condoms are the best way to stay safe both from pregnancy and std’s.
Condoms seem like the perfect birth control in theory. Sadly real life is different. Condoms make intercourse feel much less intense. Guys and girls prefer the feeling without a condom. When a guy wears a condom you will feel less friction inside and the guy will feel your body less as well.
Condoms also require care and attention from guys. Many pregnant teens can share stories of a guy saying he will use a condom and then not bothering. Lots of guys agree to wear a condom only to get a girl to agree to intercourse. Then, they skip putting the condom on to enjoy the “no condom” feel. By the time the girl realizes there is no condom being used, it is too late to prevent semen from being left inside her body.
Condoms and the pill make a great combination. Once you trust your partner to have intercourse without a condom you are already ready. In the meantime, if someone does skip putting on their condom you are still safe from pregnancy.
Intra uterine devices or iuds are a very cool birth control option. They are inserted into your womb by your doctor and prevent pregnancy for up to seven years. An added benefit to iuds are that you lose your period once they are inside.
Lots of girls who get an iud say they feel nervous at first having to just trust the device. Once you are used to being protected internally, there is a strong feeling of confidence. The protection is similar to using the pill without having to remember to take anything each day. That “not doing anything” to be protected leads to the wonder if it is really working.
Iuds can be painful to insert. Most doctors numb you inside during insertion so you feel nothing. There will be some cramping for a day or two after insertion. After that your body adjusts to keeping the birth control inside and you don’t feel it. Many girls lose their period immediately while most have lost it within three months of insertion.
Contraceptive implants are similar to iuds but are placed in your arm. They release hormones that stop your cycle and prevents pregnancy. Implants often cause personal dryness and some mood changes. Most girls who have tried both the implant and iud prefer the iud. Implants rely only on hormones to keep you from getting pregnant whereas iud’s work inside your womb to keep any pregnancy from continuing. That means iuds use far less hormones than an implant and have less side effects as a result.
If you decide you don’t want to be pregnant or are already done having children, you can chose to have your fertility ended permanently. Girls now enjoy three or four options for being sterilized. Most girls refer to being sterilized as being fixed. You can find more information about your sterilization in our page about being fixed.
No matter which birth control you chose the most important thing is to use something. Birth control prevents the issues associated with unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.
While no birth control is fool proof, they all make intercourse as safe as possible. If you still do get pregnant, none of these birth control methods will damage your baby.
At the same time you start birth control you should also make your unplanned pregnancy plan. Doing that now allows you to take a clear look at what option you will chose if you become pregnant.
