| Choosing a birth control method: questions to ask yourself |
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Personal considerations The best birth control method is the one that fits with your goals, values, preferences, and lifestyle. What matters most to a person when considering a birth control method will naturally change over time. If you are considering using a birth control method, take a minute and ask yourself the following questions:
Most people will answer "yes" to a few of these questions but in general, if you had a lot of "yes" answers you may be less likely to use this method correctly every time you have sex. Talk to a health care provider to help you decide whether to use this method or how to use it so that it will be effective for you. Because no birth control method (except abstinence) is 100% effective, there are other questions you might want to explore:
In considering a method of birth control, most people want to know how well the method works to prevent pregnancy. It's important to know that ALL of the methods available to you at a family planning clinic, when used correctly every time you have sex, are very effective in preventing pregnancy. When you're looking at information about a method, you may notice that effectiveness is sometimes listed two different ways: "perfect use" and "typical use." The effectiveness rates you see after the words "perfect use" are for a couple which uses the method correctly every time the couple has sexual intercourse. The effectiveness rates you see after the words "typical use" are for the average couple which does not use the method every time or uses it incorrectly. Safety: Will it hurt me?In general, all birth control methods are very safe. When choosing a method, a man or woman might be concerned about major health risks, protecting their ability to have children in the future, and side effects. To protect your health:
The cost of a birth control method is an important consideration for many people. Private insurance companies vary a great deal in their coverage of birth control methods although almost all will pay for surgical sterilization (vasectomy or tubal ligation). Public Health Family Planning Clinics offer low or no-cost services. Call the clinic nearest you if you have a question about cost. Benefits: What's good about the method?Preventing pregnancy is an obvious benefit of using birth control but many methods have other benefits you might not know about. These benefits might not be the main reason you decide on a method, but they might help you decide between two or more suitable methods.
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