Birth Control: How do you choose?

There are lots of different things you may want to consider when choosing if a birth control method is right for you. Here are some things you might want to think about:

• Effectiveness
• Potential side effects
• How often you need to use the method
• Whether or not you need to do something every time you have vaginal sex
• How much the method costs
• The level of cooperation it requires of your sexual partner(s)
• How permanent the method is or how long you can use it
• Your values (cultural, religious, etc.)
• Whether or not you have any medical conditions, take medications or smoke (these may rule out certain options for you)
• How comfortable you are touching your genitals
• The impact of the method on the environment
• When or if you want to have (more) children

The only right answer to these kinds of considerations is what works best for you. For more on navigating these questions, check out the article:

• Birth Control: Finding the Best Fit

Or walk through the self-assessment quiz:

• Which Birth Control methods are good for me?

Remember, you can also decide that birth control is not for you! You don’t have to choose a birth control method if you are not concerned about preventing pregnancy.