Birth Control

Holy Cross OBGYN Our Services Birth Control

Holy Cross OBGYN

OB-GYNs located in Mesquite, TX & Terrell, TX

If having a child right now just isn’t in the cards, the options in birth control can protect you in different ways from an unwanted pregnancy. To help you sort through the many choices, Dr. Maduka Odogwu at Holy Cross OBGYN provides expert counseling and services for all of his patients in Mesquite, Texas. To find a birth control option that fits your goals and lifestyle, call the office or use the online form to schedule an appointment.

Birth Control Q & A

What are the options for birth control?

When it comes to birth control, there’s no shortage of options, making choosing one a somewhat confusing process. To help you make a choice, birth control breaks down into four categories:

Hormonal

One of the best ways to protect against unwanted pregnancy is to control your ovulation through hormones. And there numerous methods for delivering these hormones, including:

  • Pills
  • Patches
  • Vaginal rings
  • Injections
  • Implants
  • IUDs

Barrier

Another great way to prevent pregnancy is to prevent sperm from reaching your eggs. This can be accomplished through:

  • Condoms
  • Sponges
  • Diaphragms
  • IUDs
  • Spermicides
  • Cervical caps

Natural

If you’d prefer to use only natural methods, your choices are:

  • Abstinence
  • Fertility awareness planning
  • Outercourse and withdrawal

Permanent

If you want to end the possibility of getting pregnant, you can turn to blocking your fallopian tubes or your partner can opt for a vasectomy.

How well does birth control work?

Birth control works as well as you use it.

For example, if you take an oral contraceptive, you’ll benefit from an efficacy rate of 91%. If, however, you forget to take a pill every once in a while, this rate drops considerably.

As another example, a diaphragm alone offers some protection, but without using spermicide along with it, you increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Dr. Odogwu helps you sort through your options to find one that best suits your goals and your lifestyle. He can also supply you with a list of efficacy rates for each option.

It’s worth noting that almost all of the birth control methods offer no protection against sexually-transmitted infections. The only methods that do that are abstinence and condoms, both male and female.

What if I want to get pregnant?

All of the birth control methods that aren’t considered permanent are easily reversible. When you feel the time is right, you stop using your birth control.

If you have an IUD, Dr. Odogwu can remove it during an office visit. If you’ve been receiving injections, you may have to wait for your hormones to regulate before you can conceive.

The bottom line is that most birth control options aren’t a lifetime decision, and Dr. Odogwu can change or reverse them at any time.

To find out which birth control method is right for you, call Holy Cross OBGYN, or schedule an appointment using the online booking tool.

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