Contraception

UW Health providers in Madison, Wisconsin work with women of all ages to help them determine the contraception methods that are most appropriate for them. When a woman decides that temporary birth control is best for her situation, there are options to chose from.

Hormonal methods are highly effective, but may take two to four weeks to cycle out of a woman's body if she decides she would like to try to get pregnant. Common side effects are nausea, headaches, breast swelling, water retention, weight gain or depression. Women on hormone-based birth control are encouraged to avoid smoking. Samples of hormonal methods include:

		The Pill: new variations of the Pill (Anya®, Lybrel®, Seasonale) are taken every day for 12 weeks, decreasing the frequency of a woman's period to one every 3   months   instead of one every month. Other brands of pills can be prescribed in this way too. There are no known negative effects of "skipping" periods. While some   women enjoy this   side effect, others prefer the reassurance of monthly bleeding.
		The birth control patch, (brand name Ortho Evra®) is a thin, beige, flexible adhesive square that is worn on the abdomen, buttock, upper outer arm, or upper torso for one week at a time. Once on, the patch releases hormones that are absorbed through your skin into the bloodstream. The patch stands up to daily activities such as exercise, showering, etc.
		NuvaRing®, a soft ring placed in the vagina, can be inserted at home and is effective for three weeks. It has the same effectiveness as the Pill, and the convenience of monthly, instead of daily, administration.
		Hormone shots as such Depo-Provera® work for three months, and are administered by your health care provider.
		A single rod implant called Implanon, placed just under the skin in the upper arm, is highly effective for up to three years, and is much simpler to insert and remove than previous birth control implants.

Barrier methods are easier to stop using, but also have a lower rate of effectiveness. Barrier methods include condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps and sponges. Most of these are available over the counter.

Condom use is strongly encouraged, either alone or in addition to another form of birth control, as it is the only form of contraception that also decreases the risk of sexually transmitted infections.