About
Birth-Control Instructions
Birth control is used to prevent pregnancy. Choosing which type of birth control depends on your needs and how long you want the birth control to be active. The best way to determine which type of birth control to use is to consult with your doctor.
Types of Birth Control
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Before deciding which type of birth control you want to use, it's important to know which types are available on the market. Birth control comes in the form of barrier or hormonal.
Barrier birth control refers to condoms that are purchased over the counter at your local drugstore or from your doctor. There are both male and female condoms available. The male condom is placed on the penis, while the female condom is inserted inside the vagina. The condom catches the sperm and prevents it from traveling to the cervix.
The other type of birth control is hormonal. This comes in the form of a pill, patch, shot or intrauterine device (IUD.) Each of these types has hormones that are released into your body which prevents ovulation, which then prevents pregnancy.
Obtaining Birth Control
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Each form of birth control, except condoms, requires a prescription from your doctor. Make an appointment with your OB/GYN. He will assess your needs and ask you questions to determine which type is the best for your body. You can also request a certain type of birth control, as long as your doctor agrees to prescribe it for you.
You will most likely have an annual gynecological exam before your doctor prescribes you anything. An annual exam consists of a breast exam to feel for any lumps, a pelvic exam to make sure there are no problems with your reproductive organs and finally a Pap smear to check for cervical cancer. At this time, you will also be asked your health history as well as your height and weight taken.
Starting Birth Control
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If you are prescribed pills, your doctor will write you a prescription to be filled at your pharmacy. She will instruct you when to start taking them. A new pack of birth-control pills can be started immediately, or you may wait until your next period starts. A common time to start birth control pills is the Sunday after your period begins. Birth control pills normally consist of 21 days of white pills that contain the hormones needed to prevent pregnancy, and seven days of pills that are inactive. However some brands only have four days of inactive pills. Those contain no hormones and act as reminder pills only.
The other forms of birth control are given to your at your doctor's office. An IUD, for example, is inserted during a visit and then removed at a later time when it's no longer needed.
Complications
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If you experience any type of strange symptoms, such as bleeding in between your period, severe mood changes or health issues, contact your doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes it can be trial and error with finding the best form of birth control, because each woman's body is different from each other.
eHow Article: Birth-Control Instructions
