Birth Control Options

An Overview of Long Term Prescription Birth Control

Many women in today's world are taking some form of birth control. Choosing long term birth control options that allow you to prevent pregnancy at all times can provide you with consistency and with peace of mind. Most insurance plans cover some birth control (after all, paying for birth control costs less than paying for a baby). The two most commonly covered methods are the pill and the patch. Before choosing a birth control prescription, you should check your insurance plan and consult your doctor.

Progestin-only birth control prescriptions are ideal for women who cannot have estrogen. Additionally, progestin-only methods can be used during breast-feeding. Progestin is similar to progesterone, a hormone produced by the ovaries to prevent release of an egg. It can also cause thick mucus around the cervix, preventing the sperm from combining with an egg. The progestin-only birth control methods include shots and implants. There are even special progestin-only pills (POPs).

The other category of long-term prescription birth control is combined hormone prescriptions. These birth control methods make use of hormones similar to progesterone, but also combine the regimen with hormones related to estrogen. The ring, the patch, and the pill are all combined hormone birth control techniques.

The shot: Depo-Provera is the shot. It is effective for 12 weeks. You do not get a period for those 12 weeks. The main advantage (other than no period for three months) is that you do not have to remember to take a pill every day. The main disadvantage is that any side effects may take the entire 12 weeks to wear off, and if you have an adverse reaction it is very difficult (nearly impossible) to get the hormone out of your system. Additionally, it may be difficult to become pregnant when you stop using the shot.

Implant: Norplant is the birth control implant. However, it is off the market. Unless you are already using an implant, you cannot have Norplant. It is difficult to remove, and can cause serious internal damage in some cases.