Birth Control Specialist
Fort Lauderdale Women Care
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Birth Control
Fort Lauderdale Women Care
Gynecologists located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Whether you’re looking for a temporary or permanent solution for birth control, there are options for just about every situation. It’s just a matter of sorting through them to find one that’s right for your lifestyle and circumstances. Dr. Khadra M. Osman, Gynecologist at Fort Lauderdale Women Care in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, are well versed in the pros and cons of each method and will work with you toward finding the ideal solution.
Birth Control Q & A
What are the different categories of birth control?
In general, birth control can be broken down into three categories, which are listed below, along with the methods that fall under each category:
Barrier birth control
Barrier birth control methods work by creating a barrier between the sperm and your eggs, which can be accomplished in many different ways, such as:
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Condoms
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Diaphragm, cervical cap, or cervical shield
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Sponge
Hormonal birth control
Hormonal birth control methods work by regulating your hormones to prevent ovulation and pregnancy and can be delivered in several ways, including:
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Birth control pill
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Nexplanon
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IUD, Hormonal and Copper
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Injections
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Vaginal rings
Permanent Birth Control
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Tubal Ligation
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Essure in office
How effective is birth control?
The only birth control method that’s 100% effective is abstinence. Barring abstinence, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has broken down the more popular methods and their effectiveness, by rating them based on the number of pregnancies per 100 women:
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Permanent sterilization: less than one
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Sterilization implant (such as Essure®): less than one
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Implants: less than one
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Hormonal IUDs: less than one
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Copper IUDs: less than one
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Hormone injections: six
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Birth control pill, vaginal ring, patch: nine
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Diaphragm and sponge: 12
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Condoms: 18
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Female condoms: 21
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Withdrawal: 22
A birth control method’s efficacy can go down considerably with user behavior. For example, if you tend to skip pills, or you don’t use spermicide with a sponge, you’ll significantly increase your chances of getting pregnant.
The gynecologists at Fort Lauderdale Women Care will sit down with you to discuss your goals and your lifestyle to find a birth control method that will work best for you.
Are there side effects to using birth control?
The short answer is that every method of birth control has potential side effects. Some of the more common side effects involve hormonal birth control methods and include:
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Increased or decreased periods
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Spotting
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Mood swings
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Acne
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Weight gain
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Sore breasts
With other birth control methods, potential side effects range from allergic reactions to the rubber used in condoms, to post-surgical complications after sterilization, so it’s best to discuss possible side effects with the doctors once you have narrowed your choices.
