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Past Tips |
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Birth
Control
HTHGS:
Should I use birth control (written by Dr. Erika Pluhar)
Ask
Erika,
I’ve been subscribed to your newsletter for over a year now and I love it.
However, I have a couple of questions. Although I have some questions
related to birth control, I also have a general question for you. First, I
was wondering whether these e-mails are confidential. Next, I was
wondering about birth control. Well actually, to be specific, I wanted to
know if you would recommend birth control to someone who does not have sex very
often. My boyfriend and I have sex about once a month (whenever we have
privacy), but we were wondering if birth control would be a good investment, or
if it would be a waste of time and money. I hope my concerns are clear and
you can reply based on what I've told you. Thanks a lot for your time. Help
Dear
Help
,
Thank you for your question. We
are glad to hear you like the newsletter and find it helpful. Yes, these
questions and answers can be confidential. Occasionally, we will reprint
responses in the newsletter so that other subscribers can benefit. If you
prefer that this response is not reprinted, just let us know.
In
deciding whether or not to use any birth control method, a couple has to
consider both advantages and disadvantages. You will also need to think
and talk seriously about what would happen if you were to get pregnant because
no matter how infrequently you have sex, you are still at risk of pregnancy.
How would you feel? How would your partner feel? How would a
pregnancy impact your life right now? In the future? What decision
would you make about the pregnancy—carry it to term and raise the baby?
Make an adoption plan? Have an abortion? These are all things to
consider when you are having sex and not using a birth control method.
Your answers to this question also likely will impact your choice of birth
control (should you choose to use a method). Do you want a method that is
close to 100% effective (e.g., Depo Provera injections or an IUD, pills)?
Do you want something that you have to use each time you have sex (e.g., male or
female condoms, spermicide, diaphragm, etc) and is, therefore, more subject to
user error? Do you want something that you will use or that your partner
will use? What about side effects? Finally, as you mentioned, you
have to consider cost and access. Where will you get the method? Who
will pay for it--you, your partner, or both of you? Are there any methods
to which you or your partner have cultural/value/religious objections?
This
may be a long answer to your short question, but all of the above are important
considerations. The short version of the above, however, would be:
How important is it for you to avoid unintended pregnancy? If your answer
is, "very important," I would say unequivocably--it absolutely is
worth it to use birth control. Hope this helps, Dr. Erika Pluhar
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