need advice

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-28-2004
need advice
1
Tue, 07-13-2004 - 6:25pm
I'm getting married in two months and need to get on some kind of birth control. I dont want to use the pills, nor the patch, no condoms(m or f)...any suggestions? How good is the IUD? Does it have any side effects? What about the sponge??? Please help!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 07-13-2004 - 7:14pm
Hi dreamydaffodil, welcome!

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! Two months time is none too soon to be considering which form of contraception to use. Are you ruling out hormonal methods entirely, including the ring, and Depo? The sponge is a spermicide delivery device and isn’t particularly effective. The IUD is a very effective, very low maintenance long term method. See missmuffi’s contribution on the IUD in the FAQ folder at the top of the board.

Choosing a form of birth control is a very personal decision. There is no 100% effective method except abstinence and the biggest cause of contraceptive failure is user error. When choosing a contraceptive method, consider the following points, to decide which method would be a good choice for you.

• Can you remember to take the Pill at the same time every day? It is very important to take your pills on time to retain their effectiveness. If you have problems remembering then a lower maintenance hormonal choice would be the patch (Ortho Evra) changed weekly, or the ring (NuvaRing) changed monthly or an injection given every 13 weeks.

• Can you afford the cost of oral contraceptives on a regular basis? Without insurance or discounted most hormonal methods cost about $35 U.S. per month ($1.30 U.S. per day).

• Do you want a contraceptive method used independently of lovemaking? Condoms and spermicides can interrupt the moment. If you develop a wearing regimen that fits your lifestyle then diaphragms and especially cervical caps can be very unobtrusive in a spontaneous relationship.

• If you smoke, can you stop? The likelihood of a stroke or heart attack while using combined hormonal contraceptives goes up dramatically for women over 35 and who are smokers.

• Do you have a family history or medical condition that would make it unsafe to use an oral contraceptive?

• Are you willing to use condoms as protection against sexually transmitted infections? If you have a new partner or have multiple partners condoms are the only method that will protect against STIs until you both are tested and found clean.

• Are you willing to use a method that is slightly less effective in order to have a method that you can see, such as a diaphragm or cervical cap? For some of us a method we know is physically in place is a comfort.

• Are you allergic to spermicide or latex? If so, there are silicone diaphragms and cervical caps available and Polyurethane male and female condoms. There are also some natural ingredients spermicides but they have not been tested by the FDA and most are not available in the U.S.

• Do you have the discipline to use a barrier correctly and for every act of IC? It is extremely important to use a barrier correctly and every time for it to be effective.

• Do you mind touching your genitals or having an IUD inserted? If you do then an oral contraceptive or a contraceptive injection might be a good choice to consider.

• Do you have religious objections to some methods? If so, you might want to consider barriers and spermicide or a Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) or Natural Family Planning (NFP) Method. Both FAM and NFP use the Symptothermal method of fertility awareness to chart your fertility signs: basal body temperature, cervical fluid and cervical position to determine when you are or may be fertile. With FAM a barrier is used for IC during those times. Natural Family Planning (NFP) also charts the fertility signs but, instead of using a barrier the couple abstains during fertile times. A Symptothermal Method can be very effective if all the rules are followed all the time. However they are unforgiving of risk taking and mistakes.

• Have you completed your family or are you looking for a way to space pregnancies by more than several years? If you think you have completed your family but aren’t quite sure or you want to plan your next addition a few years out you might want to consider an IUD. An IUD is low maintenance, very effective and lasts from 5 to 10 years depending on the type. Or, if you are certain your family is complete a vasectomy (for him) or tubal ligation (for her) might be a good choice. A vasectomy is a lot less invasive and costly than a tubal so that would be the best choice if your partner will agree. There is also a new permanent sterilization method called Essure which can be inserted on an outpatient basis. A tiny coil is inserted in each of the woman’s tubes and scar tissue forms around it to block the tube.

In addition, there are some medical conditions that may make hormonal contraceptive use a greater health risk. If you have any of these conditions, you should discuss them with your clinician. It may be better to choose another method of contraception. Some of these problems include high blood pressure, severe migraine headaches, diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and active liver or gall bladder disease.

For the pros and cons of different contraceptive methods, their effectiveness and cost see the information on the following Planned Parenthood links: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/cchoices.html and http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/bcfacts2.html If you have more questions please ask.

Good luck,

      Jill