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By Michele Blacksberg RN
You want to talk to your doctor about birth control. It doesn’t feel easy to start up this conversation but you've been thinking about it for some time. You wish your doctor would be the one to begin, but he may think you are satisfied with your current method. You realize that you have to be the one to get the discussion going.
Before you do, it's important to do some research so you feel like you understand what birth control choices there are. Don’t assume your doctor will discuss all the methods that are available with you. You want to be educated so you can decide which choices are better options for you.
You need to consider what type of birth control methods work with your age, lifestyle, sexual frequency and medical history.
If you are still young, then temporary types of birth control methods are more suitable. You may be in a monogamous relationship and have an active sex life, so a constant form of birth control is needed. If you have sex infrequently, temporary methods may also work best.
As you grow older and you have finished having children or if you decide not to have them, then more permanent methods may be better choices. Permanent methods such as tubal ligation require surgery. The Essure insert is a surgery-free permanent option that can be placed during an office visit.
You will need to discuss with your doctor how your medical history is involved in choosing a birth control option. If you have certain medical conditions, using birth control pills, hormone implants or IUDs may not be good choices for you.
For more information, you may like Birth Control: What Works, What Doesn't, and What's Best For You. Of course, you can also read about birth control methods from solid sources online or in magazines, and talk to your friends about the methods they use and why.
Be prepared to ask your doctor many questions about the birth control options you have found from your research. Get a list ready before you talk to him.
It is normal to desire different birth control methods at different times in your life. Your needs change as you grow older and you may find the methods you used to use are inconvenient or interfere with spontaneity.
After you have considered the benefits and risks of all the options with your doctor, you will be ready to make an informed decision about which birth control method is right for you.
Source:
What to Ask the Doctor
http://contraception.about.com/od/talkingaboutbirthcontrol/tp/Ask-A-Doctor.htm
Reviewed on April 8, 2013
by Maryann Gromisch, RN
Edited by Jody Smith