What Are My Birth Control Options?
Jun 04, 2025
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Nearly 65% of American women ages 15-49 use birth control to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and to manage medical issues. If you’re thinking about joining their ranks, you likely have questions, such as which type of contraception is most effective and what factors to consider before making a choice.
At Ample Health in Carmichael, California, our team of board-certified internists, including Dheeraj Kamra, MD, and Mythli Nagaraj, MD, along with Alice Phillips, FNP, and Yelena Popova, PA, regularly counsel patients on birth control.
Keep reading to learn about the most common types and how to schedule a birth control consultation.
The many types of birth control fall into several categories, including:
Hormonal birth control refers to patches, pills, or intrauterine devices (IUDs) that prevent ovulation or make the conditions in your uterus or cervix less favorable for pregnancy.
For example, some types of hormonal birth control thin the lining of the uterus, while others increase cervical mucus.
These methods contain synthetic forms of hormones, like estrogen and progestin, which prevent ovulation and reduce the likelihood of fertilization. Hormonal birth control works about 91% of the time. But you can increase the efficacy of the pills by taking them at the same time each day.
Hormonal birth control is effective, but it can present side effects in some people, including weight gain and irritability. It can also increase the risk of health issues, such as blood clots and stroke, in people with certain risk factors.
The good news is that nonhormonal birth control options exist. These include:
One downside is that some nonhormonal methods require preparation before sex. For example, you must remove condoms and diaphragms from their packaging and position them beforehand.
A copper IUD offers protection for up to 10 years, but a medical professional must place it during an outpatient procedure.
If you don’t have any interest in starting a family and want to avoid pregnancy altogether, you may benefit from a permanent birth control method, such as a tubal ligation for women or a vasectomy for men.
Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure that blocks or seals the fallopian tubes, preventing eggs from traveling from the ovaries to the uterus. A vasectomy, on the other hand, prevents sperm from mixing with semen, so ejaculation doesn’t contain sperm and fertilization can’t occur.
Some people prefer to rely on their natural biology to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. For example, fertility awareness methods, like tracking your ovulation cycle, can help you determine when you’re most and least fertile.
There are also situations when an unwanted pregnancy becomes a concern after unprotected sex. Emergency contraception, like Plan B, works by delaying ovulation and can help prevent pregnancy. These methods aren’t meant to be used as permanent birth control, but they can be helpful in certain situations.
Choosing the right form of birth control requires research, understanding, and complete knowledge of your health history. We can help if you’re struggling to decide on your own.
Contact us at Ample Health in Carmichael, California, to schedule a women’s health consultation and discuss your birth control options. Call our office or book your appointment online. Telehealth appointments are also available.