What are your contraceptive options?

A woman’s first menstrual cycle marks the beginning of a lifelong journey with her reproductive health. This can include preventive cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, contraception and pregnancy.

“Obstetrician gynecologists help women with their reproductive health, usually first meeting with them concerning their menstrual cycle, an annual Pap test, HPV vaccine, or often relating to options of either getting pregnant or avoiding pregnancy,” says Dr. Caroline Casey, an OB-GYN physician with Advocate Health Care. “If you think about it, that’s 30 to 40 years of health decisions that impact a woman’s body, emotional and mental wellbeing, and others in their family.”

But pregnancy may not be on everyone’s journey. In fact, 15% of women end up not having any biological children. Whether choosing temporary or permanent contraceptive solutions, pregnancy or pregnancy prevention is a common decision that is faced throughout many women’s reproductive lives.

Short-term contraceptive methods include:

• Abstinence
• Birth control shots
• Condoms (male and female)
• Vaginal rings
• Oral medications
• Contraceptive patches

Long-term contraceptive methods include:

• Birth control
  • Intrauterine devices (IUDs) or birth control implants.
  • Many of the above short-term options can be used in the long-term.
• Reproductive surgery
  • Salpingectomy (Female): This is the surgical removal of one or both of the fallopian tubes, which are what allow an egg to travel from the ovaries to the uterus.
  • Vasectomy (Male): This is an office procedure with a urologist who cuts or seals the tubes between the sperm and semen. A vasectomy is done with local anesthetic and sometimes a topical anesthetic cream.

“Helping women through all phases of their life journey, whether overall wellness or reproduction goals, is incredibly rewarding and I feel very privileged to support them,” says Dr. Casey.

Find an OB-GYN provider near you: Illinois | Wisconsin. Or learn your risk for breast cancer by taking a free online quiz.