by Dr Bram Brons
As a new, working, or stay-at-home mum, getting pregnant may well be the furthest thing from your mind. If you are not quite ready for the pitter-patter of more tiny feet, knowing which type of contraception is right for you and your body may prove to be crucial. Luckily, with over 15 different methods of contraception available, you should be able to find the one that best suits you.
Hormonal contraception is the best-known method of birth control and comes in the form of the combined pill (‘the pill’), mini pill, vaginal ring, implant, patch and injection. By stopping sperm from fertilising an egg, hormonal contraceptives, when used correctly, have proven to be almost 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
Although the pill is the most common choice, the type of contraceptive that works for you will depend on a number of factors such as:
- Lifestyle
- Health circumstances
- Personal intentions
- Your comfort
Are you a new mum?
If you are a new mum, you may currently be breastfeeding. If so, you should not use contraception that contains oestrogen such as the pill, patch, vaginal ring and implant. This is because oestrogen can influence lactation. It is possible however to take the mini pill while you are breastfeeding. Also known as the progestogen-only pill, this contraceptive is considered to be almost as effective as the combined pill. The contraceptive injection and implant are alternative methods, as like the mini pill, they don’t contain oestrogen. The mini pill is also a more suitable option if you are a smoker, suffer with high blood pressure or are over the age of 35.
Is your lifestyle hectic?
Are you a full-time mum looking after the children at home? Or do you juggle work with family life? If your schedule seems never ending, or timekeeping is not one of your strong points, than contraceptive methods like the patch or the vaginal ring, injection, or implant may be your best option. Delivering hormones via the skin into the bloodstream, these contraceptive methods allow women to be protected against pregnancy without the hassle of remembering to take a pill every day.
The patch is applied to a flat area of the skin once a week over a three-week period. After three weeks you have a one-week break, where you are likely to experience a withdrawal bleed similar to a period.
The vaginal ring is inserted into the vagina on the first day of your period and left for 21 days. Once the 21 days are up, you need to remove it for a seven-day break. With both the patch and the ring, you are fully protected during your seven-day break.
Long-term methods, or, Are you not planning to have more children?
If you are seeking long-term protection, or are not planning to become pregnant in the near future, then you may prefer to use a more long-lasting method of contraception, known as LARC (long-acting reversible system). These contraceptive methods include the IUD, injection and the implant. The IUD, also known as the coil, offers long-term contraceptive cover (five to ten years). Instead of releasing hormones into the body, IUD releases copper into the body, and works by making the mucus in the cervix thicken, making it harder for sperm to reach the womb.
Also offering long-term protection, the injection and the implant both contain progestogen only. With both of these contraceptives, once taken or fitted you don’t need to do anything else and will be protected until they require renewal. Though these methods have their benefits, you should be aware that it might take a while for fertility to return to normal once these contraceptives are stopped.
The combined pill
If you are not breastfeeding and your organisation skills are generally admired, the combined pill may be the best birth control method for you. As well as being the most common choice of contraceptive for over 3.5 million women in the UK, when used correctly the pill has proven to be almost 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Containing both synthetic oestrogen and progestogen, the pill is also known to have additional beneficial qualities and is considered an effective treatment for heavy and painful periods, premenstrual syndrome and endometriosis. There are more than 30 types of oral contraceptive pills available, helping you to find your ideal.
Whichever contraceptive method you choose, the most important thing is that you pick one that best fits your lifestyle. If you would like to find out more about which type of contraception could most benefit you, why not try our contraception tool to help you decide.
This post is sponsored by healthexpress.co.uk.
Dr Bram Brons is an independent GP and member of the medical team at HealthExpress, the UK’s leading online clinic. Visit www.healthexpress.co.uk for further information on contraception. You can also take a free, no obligation online consultation with a registered doctor on the site.
