The worries of birth control side effects concern many young people, but there are so many options that are safe, effective and reliable. Contraception offers a number of options to suit you, whether you want something daily, monthly or even every decade. Yet nearly half of pregnancies are unintended, and its because of confusion and uncertainty according to experts. According to research, we now have an entire generation of young adults who are sexually active for the most part, but completely in the dark about what contraceptive to use. They don’t know enough about what’s out there to make a reliable and informed decision, so many either don’t use it at all or don’t use it correctly. The result is unplanned pregnancies and a higher abortion rate. In a recent study in America, 42 per cent of unmarried 18 to 29 year olds said they didn’t know very much about birth control pills, and two-thirds said they knew even less about effective long-lasting contraceptives. Around a third said that they believed there is a good contraceptive for their needs, but that they didn’t know what it was.
It’s not just teens and young adults who don’t know the answers to questions like how long contraceptives last, and which one is most suited to them. If you consider that half of all girls are sexually active by the time they reach 17 years of age, and that menopause hits around 50 for most women, that’s several decades of contraceptive use to avoid unplanned pregnancy. The right choice at 20 might not stay the right choice when you’re in your 40s. Surprisingly, the most popular form of birth control in the U.S is a vasectomy for men and tube tying for women. When it comes to the most popular reversible contraceptive, the pill is number one for many women. However, this is only reliable when it’s taken properly – sickness or missing a dose can lower the chance of it being effective. There are other benefits too, such as long-term users having a lower risk of ovarian cancer, less chance of menstrual cramps and less chance of acne.
When it comes to reliability, the two long-lasting products that are the most effective are also the two that most women haven’t heard of. These are the IUD and the implant. The former is a T-shaped device that sits in the uterus to block sperm. The implant is a matchstick-sized rod that emits hormones to prevent pregnancy, and this sits in the arm. The implant can sit happily in the arm for three years, and the IUD can last either five or ten years depending on the brand. Each is ideal for women who aren’t ready to think about pregnancy just yet, but also don’t want to be thinking about contraception on a daily basis. And if you change your mind, you can just have it removed sooner. While some women may experience a little pain, the newer brands on the market offer less side effects and is more appealing to women. Only a fraction of women in the U.S use these forms of contraception, despite them being effective and hassle-free – just 5.6 per cent according to the latest data. They seem to be more common in Europe though. There are so many varieties of contraception that finding one to suit you perfectly is easy. It’s simply a case of speaking to your GP and talking through your options.