Birth control pills and beyond: Exploring your contraception options

When it comes to birth control options to prevent pregnancy, “the pill” is probably the most well known. In fact, it might be a little too well-known.

Suneela Vegunta, M.D., a consultant in women’s health at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, says women sometimes don’t realize there are other good contraceptive choices — they consider contraception synonymous with the pill. Many women approach their healthcare team, request the pill and get a prescription without a detailed discussion of all the other options. And last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill, making these pills an even more convenient option.  

The pill is the right choice for some women, but it’s important to know your options. Your primary care team or gynecologist can help guide this process and will take into consideration factors such as your fertility goals, personal preferences and health issues such as high blood pressure, migraines, and even acne, oily skin, and excess facial and body hair.

When choosing birth control, it’s important to keep the following factors in mind:

• Effectiveness in preventing pregnancy
• Impact on your menstrual cycles
• Possible side effects
• Cost
• Convenience
• Option for self-management

Self-management means you don’t have to rely on a partner (such as asking your partner to use a condom) or a healthcare team (such as going into the clinic for regular injections) in order to prevent pregnancy.

Remember, choosing a birth control method (other than permanent sterilization) is a relatively low-stakes choice. If you don’t like it, you can change it.

“Whenever we give birth control, we often say, ‘Let’s trial this … If you do not like this, you’re not bound to take this method,'” Dr. Vegunta says. “Sometimes, we may have to trial a few things before we find what your body really agrees (with) and accepts.”

However, Dr. Vegunta usually recommends that when you are prescribed a birth control method, you give it a trial period of at least three months before moving on to a different option. It can take about that long for initial side effects of some birth control methods — such as intermittent spotting, bleeding and breast tenderness — to improve. But if side effects are too bothersome, tell your healthcare team right away, and he or she can help switch you to another method.

And don’t hesitate to let your healthcare team know if you think your birth control has negatively affected your libido. Sexual health is important, and your care team can suggest a different option that does not impact your sexual health.

Dr. Vegunta says that in addition to what is available now, there are newer options being approved and being made available such as IUDs, pills and a vaginal gel for on-demand use.

“This is a rapidly expanding field,” Dr. Vegunta says.

Women need several options that they can choose from, and the more the better, Dr. Vegunta adds.

Note: Brand names for medications are used for ease of understanding and should not be taken as an endorsement.