Contraception

Contraception/Birth Control

As a teenage girl or young woman, you may be starting to think about what it means to be involved in a sexual relationship. There are many things that you need to think about before you decide to have sex, including whether this is the right person, the right time in your life, and how you will feel if the relationship breaks up. If you do decide to have sex, you definitely need to think about how to prevent getting pregnant and how to protect yourself from getting a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). Keep reading to find out what type of contraception is best for you and your partner.

You should talk to your parents, guardian, a trusted adult, or your health care provider if you are thinking about having a sexual relationship. It is a good idea to discuss all of your choices and all of the concerns and worries you may have so you can make good decisions. This can be a very confusing time for you and it is always good to have someone to talk to.

What types of contraception are there?

There are many different types of contraception that vary in how effective they are at preventing pregnancy, how much they cost, how easy they are to use, and whether they also protect against STDs. Using two types of contraceptive methods, such as the birth control pill and condoms, increases protection against both pregnancy and STDs. Males use some types of contraception and females use other types of contraception. If you are having a sexual relationship with a male, it is good to know all about the different types of female and male contraception. Together, you and your partner should figure out the best choice for the two of you. Whatever type of contraception one of you uses can have an effect on the health of both people in the relationship. Only females can get pregnant, but both males and females can get a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

If you have sexual intercourse, you are always at risk for pregnancy and STDs. But if you practice safer sex with only one partner (who is uninfected and has no other sexual partners) and you make good decisions about contraception, you can greatly lower your risk.

Male Condoms

Pros:

-Lowers risk of STDs

-Effective against pregnancy

-Contraception that provides the most protection against sexually transmitted diseases (latex condoms are best)

-Don't cost much (50 cents each), can buy at almost any drug store (don't need a prescription)

-"Last longer" when using a condom

-Allow men to have an active part in preventing pregnancy

Cons:

-Have to use a new one every time you have sexual intercourse (can only be used once)

-May disrupt/interrupt lovemaking

-Can break

-Women may be allergic to latex

-Withdrawal

Pros:

-Natural, so no side effects

-Doesn't cost anything

-Allows men to be an active part of preventing pregnancy

Cons:

-Not very effective method of contraception

-Doesn't protect against STDs

-Difficult for male to always predict ejaculation

-May decrease sexual pleasure of woman since need to always be thinking about what is happening during sexual intercourse

-No control by women- need to rely completely on men to prevent pregnancy

Female Hormonal Contraceptive Methods:

Birth Control Pills

Pros:

-Very effective against pregnancy if used correctly

-Make menstrual periods more regular and lighter

-Decrease menstrual cramps and acne

-Makes you less likely to get ovarian and uterine cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, and anemia

-Doesn't interrupt lovemaking