4 Contraceptives You Should Consider
The IUD is one underused — and highly effective —
method of birth control. (Science Photo Library/Getty Images)
Since the Pill first swept
onto the scene in the 1960s, the perception of contraception has gone from
controversial to common sense. Yet many women have never advanced beyond their
pill packet— even as science has proven there are a number of viable
alternatives to oral contraception, some of which are actually more effective.
“When you look at the methods that are used most often — the Pill, the condom —
it’s only what’s popular,” said Dr. Carrie Cwiak, director of family planning
at Emory University School of Medicine. “It has nothing to do with what’s most
effective.”
And while the “Will it
work?” question should (obviously) come first, there are also other factors to
consider when picking your method: Are you willing to use a daily or weekly
contraceptive? One that contains hormones? One that’s placed inside you? “There
is no perfect method. So even having methods that are seldom used, like the
cervical cap, in the mix is really a positive,” Dr. Eve Espey, president-elect
of the Society
of Family Planning. “Somebody is going to love that method.”
Following, four
baby-blocking approaches you may want to consider:
LONG-ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTIVES
Known as the “LARC” methods
— or long-acting reversible contraceptives — the intrauterine device (IUD) and
implant are widely considered the most effective options on the market, said
Espey. Although the Pill actually works better than the IUD or implant if you
use it perfectly, most women fail to take the meds exactly as instructed.
Translation: When it comes to “typical” use — the way women use contraceptives
in the real world — the LARC methods far outshine the Pill, which
has a failure rate of 9 percent, according to the CDC.
Yet most women still opt for
oral contraception over the IUD or implant. “The Pill has always been the
fallback,” Espey said. “It’s time-tested, and it’s got a ton of name recognition.
But the IUD and the implant are far superior.” Why? They last for years, you
don’t have to remember to pop a pill on a daily basis, and there are no fatal
complications (like blood clots) associated with these methods, she said.
INTRAUTERINE DEVICES (IUDs)
Hormonal IUD typical use failure rate: .2%
Copper IUD typical use
failure rate: .8%
There are two classes of
IUDs: hormonal (Mirena or
Skyla) and
copper (ParaGard).
After being inserted into your uterus — a procedure that may cause a little
cramping — both types act a spermicide, “so the sperm and egg don’t get
together,” Espey explained. The hormonal version has a second mechanism, too:
It helps thicken your cervical mucus, preventing any sperm from slipping past.
And don’t worry, there are
no long-term effects on fertility: After five to 12 years — the copper IUDs
last longer — your doctor simply tugs the IUD string to remove the device, and
you’re able to become pregnant immediately. (Keep in mind, you can take it out
at any time, if you so choose.)
Although the two types of
IUDs work in a similar way, there are differences, since the copper version
doesn’t contain any hormones. “It doesn’t really change your bleeding pattern
that much,” said Cwiak. You may notice your periods become heavier for the
first three to six months after insertion, but after that, your cycle will return
to its normal pattern, she said. With the Mirena IUD, “your bleeding can go
away altogether,” Cwiak said. The not-so-fun part: If you do spot, it will
happen randomly — not at a predictable time of the month. “The tradeoff is that
it’s significantly lighter,” she said.
