Birth Control

Choosing an effective, safe birth control method depends on your unique health situation and your personal preference. The personalized healthcare approach at About Women Ob-Gyn means we make a special effort to get to know you thoroughly and can better assist you in finding a contraceptive method that works best for you.

Your doctor or nurse practitioner can help you choose from a full range of contraception options to best fit your preferences and needs from a medical and lifestyle perspective, including:

• Condom / female condom—protects against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as HIV/AIDS, herpes, and gonorrhea.
• Contraceptive implant, patch, or injection— examples include NuvaRing, Nexplanon, Xulane, DepoProvera, as well as IUDs (Interuterine devices) such as Mirena, Paragard, Skyla, and Kyleena. This family of contraceptives works much like oral contraceptives, without the bother of having to remember to take a pill every day. These contraception methods do not protect against sexually transmitted disease. Follow the above links to the manufacturer websites for more information.
• Emergency contraception—commonly referred to as “the morning after pill” (a somewhat misleading expression because it can be effective for up to 72 hours after sex), this contraception method consists of several tablets that work by giving the body a strong, short burst of synthetic hormones that disrupt the hormone patterns needed for pregnancy.
  • If you are a current patient of our practice and suspect that you may need emergency contraception, please contact our office on the first available business day to schedule an appointment for a brief evaluation (required for us to give you a prescription). Emergency contraception does not constitute an emergency visit, so an appointment slot must be available for you to see a clinician.
  • If you are not a current patient or if 72 hours will pass between suspected impregnation and wen you can visit our office, we suggest obtaining a prescription from an urgent care center. If it has been more than 72 hours since suspected impregnation, schedule an appointment to speak with one of our physicians about further options and possible pregnancy evaluation.
• Permanent birth control—a nonsurgical procedure that creates a natural barrier to pregnancy, providing an option for women who are finished having children.
• Oral contraception—Birth control pills (including Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO and Yasmin are a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which prevent pregnancy by interfering with ovulation. They are considered to be 99% effective when taken as directed. If you want to be extra careful, some providers feel that back-up birth control (such as latex condoms with spermicide) should be used for the first month you take the pill. Back-up birth control should also be used if you are placed on antibiotics (such as Ampicillin or Tetracycline) as there is some evidence suggesting that these medications may weaken the effect of the birth control pill.