Your Birth Control Options
At PPNCF we pride ourselves on delivering compassionate and affordable reproductive health care. Our clinic staff will help you select the birth control option that best fits your lifestyle, budget, and body. Call one of our clinics today to schedule your appointment.
HOPE - Birth Control without the Exam
With our Hormones with Optional Pelvic Exam (HOPE) you may be eligible for the birth control you want without having a medical exam. If you qualify, we'll only need your medical history and a blood pressure check to get you started on the method of your choice. Contact one of our clinics today to see if you qualify.
FREE MALE AND FEMALE CONDOMS AVAILABLE AT BOTH CLINICS!!!
Birth Control Pills
The “pill” is another name for oral contraception. Birth control pills must be taken daily to maintain the hormone levels that prevent unintended pregnancies. Often times women on the pill have fewer menstrual cramps along with lighter periods.
The pill DOES NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections, so be sure to use a condom along with the pill to reduce your chances of infection.
Initial side effects may include bleeding between periods, breast tenderness, headaches, and nausea. Side effects normally clear up within three months of starting the pill.
NuvaRing®
NuvaRing® is a small plastic ring that is inserted into the vagina and releases hormones into the body to prevent pregnancy. The ring is inserted once a month and left in place for three weeks. NuvaRing® is removed for the fourth week during which a woman may experience a lighter, less crampy period.
The ring DOES NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections, so be sure to use a condom along with the ring to reduce your chances of infection.
Initial side effects may include bleeding between periods, weight gain or loss, breast tenderness, and nausea. Side effects normally clear up within three months of using NuvaRing®.
Depo-Provera® ('The Shot')
Depo-provera or 'the shot' is an injectable progestin-only method of birth control available by prescription. The shot can prevent pregnancy for 12 weeks, and patients receive a new injection every three months.
Depo-Provera® DOES NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections, so be sure to use condoms to reduce your chances of infection.
Initial side effects may include irregular bleeding, temporary bone thinning, and change of appetite or weight gain. Side effects normally clear up within three to six months after starting the shot.
Diaphragms
Diaphragms are shallow, dome shaped cups with flexible rims. A diaphragm is inserted into the vagina and covers the cervix.
Diaphragms DO NOT protect against sexually transmitted infections, so be sure to use a condom as well to reduce your chances of infection.
Condoms
Condoms are thin sheaths of latex or plastic that are placed over the erect penis before sexual intercourse. In addition to protecting you from pregnancy, condoms can be an effective way of protecting you from the transmission of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Because condoms are thin sheaths there is the danger that they can break during intercourse. PPNCF recommends the combination of condoms with another type of birth control method to offer you the best protection from sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy.
Call one of our clinics today to schedule your appointment. Our clinic staff will provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to choose the best option for your lifestyle.
Visit the Planned Parenthood Federation of America webpage for more information on these and other methods of birth control.
|
