Considering Birth Control?

There are many different types of birth control for women, which can make choosing the right one a difficult task.

All types of birth control are effective when used properly, but not all methods are right for everyone. You should take several factors into consideration, including your overall health, how often you have sex, if you want to have children in the future and side effects.

Find your comfort level

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a birth control method is finding something that doesn’t make you uncomfortable. If you don’t understand a particular type of birth control or practicing it makes you uneasy, that can increase the ineffectiveness.

The types of birth control include:

• Continuous abstinence

• Natural family planning/rhythm method

• Barrier methods (Contraceptive sponge, Diaphragm, Condoms)

• Hormonal methods (“The Pill,” Patches, Shot/injection, Vaginal ring)

• Implantable devices

• Permanent birth control methods (Sterilization Implant, Surgical Sterilization)

Know the risks

Understanding each birth control method is not only important to their effectiveness, each type has potential side effects that you should discuss with your physician or healthcare professional before starting them.

These side effects include: heart disease, high blood pressure, blood clots, nausea, headaches, sore breasts, weight gain, irregular bleeding and depression.

Learn more at Griffin Hospital

Griffin Hospital is offering a free talk on birth control on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. at the hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center. This talk will be the first in series of educational discussions about female reproductive health, entitles “Beyond the Birds and Bees.”

OBGYN Christopher Bauer, MD, will host the birth control presentation, covering all forms of birth control, including contraceptive and non-contraceptive, and the risks and benefits of each to help women find what best suits them. This talk is especially beneficial to young women and their parents in helping them have a conversation about sexual health.

Upcoming talks in this series will discuss how to prepare for pregnancy, options for those who have problems getting pregnant, and common issues related to menopause.

The presentation is part of Griffin Hospital’s Healthy U “Tuesday Talks,” a series of free wellness talks featuring Griffin Hospital medical experts and community partners providing trusted health information and answers to questions on a wide range of topics.

All Tuesday Talks are held in Griffin Hospital’s Meditation and Learning Center at 130 Division Street in Derby. Light refreshments will be served.
Register at Griffin Hospital’s website or call 203.732.1511.