Choosing a contraceptive can be really tough, considering it can have an impact on various aspects of your life. As a result, you may have so many questions and dilemmas before choosing a contraception method. This article aims at answering those questions and clearing any doubts you have on contraception in general.

Following are the factors you may need to consider while choosing a contraceptive.

1. Effectiveness

2. Your Reproduction Goals

3. Safety and Side-effects

4. Your Convenience and Ease of Use

5. Your Age and Health History

6. Protection from STDs

7. Cost and Affordability

1. Effectiveness

An unplanned pregnancy can be costly, and you specifically choose contraception to avoid that. So, it is natural to question how effective the modern contraceptives are.

You can rest assured that the effectiveness of these contraceptives is scientifically proven. Regardless of the method used, when contraception is used correctly and consistently, it will be 99% effective.

2. Your Reproduction Goals

Planning your family involves managing your health, saving money and postponing pregnancy until you are physically, psychologically and financially ready to have a child. It is entirely up to you to decide when you want to have a child. Depending on how long you need to postpone pregnancy, you can choose your contraception method.

If you plan to have a child in the near future, you can choose short-term contraception, which can be easily reversed within a short period of time, such as condoms and OCPs.

If you want to postpone it for a few years, then you can choose a long-term contraception such as IUD that needs to be implanted and removed with by an expert medical practitioner.

In case you do not wish to have your own child ever in the future, you can choose a permanent contraception method, such as tubal ligation.

3. Safety and Side-effects

Safety and side-effects are the first and foremost concern when it comes to contraceptives. The side effects of different contraceptive methods vary vastly. For instance, hormonal OCPs have side effects including nausea, weight gain, acne, hirusitism, blood clots, breast tenderness, bloating, migraine, mood swings, anxiety, etc. So, before choosing a method, it is essential to study the potential side-effects of each, and select the one that you can tolerate well.

4. Convenience and ease of use

There are some contraception methods such as IUDs that let you implant once and then not think about it again, until it is time to replace it; at the same time, it can be inserted only by a medical practitioner. In contrast, OCPs need to be taken regularly at specific intervals. Skipping the pill for one reason or another reduces the effectiveness; at the same time, taking a pill is easier compared to using an IUD. You can evaluate the pros and cons of each option and identify which method is convenient and easy to use for you. For instance, working women who are pre-occupied with their duties are the ones who most likely tend to forget to take a pill on time. So, they can choose a method that is more suitable for their lifestyle.

5. Age and Health History

Depending on age and health history, the severity of the side effects of a contraception method may vary. For instance, women who smoke or have some health conditions like liver problems or heart disease are susceptible to blood clots when they take OCPs. So, it is vital to consider age and health history before choosing a contraception method.

6. Protection from STDs

Not all contraception methods provide protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms offer the best protection against STIs. So, you may decide to use a condom if you are in a new relationship (until you both get tested for STIs), or if either one of you is sexually active with other partners. The risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections is greatly reduced by using dual protection – using a condom with your choice of birth control.

7. Cost and Affordability

Some contraception methods can be expensive upfront or in the long run. For instance, getting an IUD implanted by a doctor can be expensive upfront. But if you can afford it, or if the cost is covered by your insurance, then you can get it, provided you find the method suitable for you. If you can afford high ongoing costs but prefer ease of use, then you can choose OCPs. Similarly, you can check the upfront and long-term costs of each method and identify a suitable method that fits your budget.