With so many birth control options available today, it can be difficult to decide on one that is the best choice for you.
At Alpha OB GYN, Sowmya Reddy, MD, FACOG, offers a wide range of birth control options to accommodate your unique health needs and plans for your family. Dr. Reddy works closely with you to find the birth control method that is the best fit.
She can also help you stop birth control when you’re ready to become pregnant.
Birth control helps prevent unintended pregnancies, so you can plan for a family when you’re ready. Different methods work in different ways to prevent conception.
Birth control options include:
Barrier methods of birth control prevent pregnancy by blocking sperm from meeting eggs for fertilization. Popular options in barrier birth controls include condoms, sponge, cervical cap, and diaphragm.
Hormonal birth control uses hormones to prevent ovulation (the release of eggs) to prevent pregnancy. Options for hormonal birth control include pills, injections, and vaginal rings.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) also use hormones to prevent pregnancy. These T-shaped devices fit inside your uterus and can protect you against pregnancy for several years. Dr. Reddy can also remove an IUD any time you’re ready to get pregnant.
Nonhormonal IUDs use copper to prevent fertilization of sperm and egg. Copper is toxic to sperm and creates an inhospitable environment in your uterus to prevent an embryo from attaching to your uterine wall.
We also offer permanent forms of birth control that involve a minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Reddy can tie off or destroy your fallopian tubes to prevent eggs from traveling down to meet sperm, so you can no longer have children.
Another form of permanent birth control is a hysterectomy. This is a procedure to remove your uterus and other reproductive organs.
Dr. Reddy offers hysterectomies to treat endometriosis and other gynecological conditions and not specifically as a method of birth control. However, after this type of procedure, you won’t be able to carry a child.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to birth control. That’s why we spend time with you, learning about your medical history, your existing health, and your family plans.
Dr. Reddy takes many factors into consideration when helping you choose birth control. These factors include:
You may benefit from short-acting birth control, like pills and vaginal rings, if you’re planning to have kids in the near future. For longer lasting protection against unintended pregnancies, you may find injections or IUDs most convenient.
Some women are not able to use hormonal birth controls because they have an intolerance to hormones. In this case, you may benefit from hormone-free IUDs or condoms and other barrier methods.
If you have multiple partners or are having sex with someone new, it’s important that you use condoms even if you’re using another type of birth control. Besides abstinence, condoms are the only way to protect yourself against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
To schedule a birth control counseling appointment, call the Alpha OB GYN office nearest to you today or book a consultation online.
