News flash: BC isn’t one-size-fits-all for your whole life. “Most women end up switching over the years, either because of side effects or lifestyle changes,” says WH advisor Dr Sheeva Talebian, a reproductive endocrinologist at CCRM NY. Her guidelines can help you decide the best bet for you right now.
YOUR SITCH ➔ Kids are a few years off, or you don’t want to swallow a daily pill.
- CONSIDER A hormonal IUD. The device delivers progestin, which can prevent ovaries from releasing an egg for three to five years.
YOUR SITCH ➔ Hormonal birth control makes you feel bloated and cranky.
- CONSIDER The copper IUD. The metal is toxic to sperm and produces a reaction that helps thwart any surviving swimmers. It lasts up to 10 years.
YOUR SITCH ➔ You’re breastfeeding.
- CONSIDER The minipill. It’s progestin-only; the regular version also contains estrogen, which may mess with milk production.
YOUR SITCH ➔ You have painful, heavy periods.
- CONSIDER The Pill or a hormonal IUD. Both stop ovulation, which is linked to killer cramps and change-a-pad-every-hour flows.
YOUR SITCH ➔ You’re sick of the Pill or don’t like IUDs.
- CONSIDER The ring or patch. They halt ovulation but don’t require daily attention.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
