One-Size- Fits-All Birth Control: Yea or Nay?

Nay. A one-size-fits-all approach to birth control is not the answer for the future of women’s reproductive health. The best method is the method that you want to use and are comfortable with, and importantly, the one that you will use correctly and consistently. In a recent interview with Parents Magazine, Leslie Heyer, Cycle Technologies founder, points out the vast benefits to offering women contraceptive options.

“While I’ve worked in advancing fertility awareness methods for many years, it would be an enormous disservice to women not to offer them a full range of contraceptive options. Research has shown repeatedly that having access to a full range of contraceptive options – which includes hormonal, barrier, and fertility awareness methods—is the best way to ensure that women find a contraceptive option that they will use correctly and consistently over time," says Heyer.

(Image 1.1, Infographic showing examples of modern birth control methods available.)

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a birth control method, such as your phase of life, possible side effects, existing medical conditions, ease of use, cost, and so on. Women use different methods throughout their reproductive lifetime. You may choose a hormonal method at one point, but may wish to use a natural method at another. You may even choose sterilization when you feel your family is complete.

That’s why it is important that women have access to a full range of contraceptive methods that includes provider-dependent methods such as, IUDs and sterilization, hormonal methods such as the pill or injectables, barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms, and fertility awareness-based methods like the Standard Days Method (CycleBeads), 2Day Method or Sympto-thermal method.

Some of the issues to consider when choosing a birth control option include:

Effectiveness

Side effects

Cost

Availability

Short-term future family plans

Long-term future family plans

Level of involvement required

Difficulty of use

Protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Partner’s willingness to use

Pre-existing health issues

No wonder we need options!

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each method and decide what matters most to you. Whether it’s concern about effectiveness, side effects or cost, you need to be able to make the right choice for you.

We previously posted about the issue of birth control effectiveness and will take a closer look at some of the other factors involved in deciding on the right birth contraceptive option in future posts.

Any other issues that have factored into your decision? Let us know.

---

Cycle Technologies is a social impact company focused on women's health. Our mission is to prevent unintended pregnancies and help people have the families they want when they are ready. Products include CycleBeads®, TwoDay™, and Dot™ and are used by millions of women worldwide and implemented in more than 60 countries as part of their health programs.

#moderncontraceptives #effectivebirthcontrolmethods #cyclebeads #dotfertilityperiodtracker