Do I Need STD Testing If I’m in a Long-Term Relationship?
Regular STD testing is important for your sexual health, but is it really necessary if you’re in a committed partnership? Here’s what you need to know.
How Can My Gynecologist Help Me With Family Planning?
Life is full of surprises, and you may not want pregnancy to be one of them. The ability to choose when you want to have children (or, if you want children), how many, and at what intervals, which all fall under family planning, was labeled by the CDC as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
Our team at Tahoe Women’s Care, under the direction of Dr. Gary Willen, is here to help you with family planning. We offer a wide range of family planning options and we can help you find one that best fits your lifestyle and your goals.
Birth control — the heart of family planning
At the heart of family planning is your ability to control when, and if, you create a family, which you accomplish through birth control.
There are many types of birth control methods, which we break down into three main categories:
Barrier birth control
These are options that prevent sperm from reaching and fertilizing your egg. There are several options in this category, including:
- Condoms
- Cervical caps
- Diaphragms
- Sponges
- Spermicides
You use these options whenever you have intercourse, and it’s improtant to note that only one on this list can also prevent sexually transmitted diseases — condoms.
Hormonal birth control
Another way to approach birth control is to regulate your ovulation, which is accomplished through hormones. The way the hormones are delivered is what marks the differences in this category. Here are a few examples of the ways we can introduce hormones:
- Pills
- Patches
- Implants
- IUDs
- Injections
If you want a hormonal option, we can help you choose the delivery method that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Please note that all of these options require a prescription, which we can supply.
Natural birth control
If you’d prefer to take a more natural approach to family planning, you can try fertility awareness (knowing your ovulation schedule), outercourse, withdrawal, or abstinence.
Some of these approaches require a bit of education, and we’re happy to sit down with you to ensure that you’re protecting yourself as best you can.
Counseling and help
The world of birth control can be confusing, and that’s where our family planning services truly shine. We take the time to understand your wishes so we can recommend the birth control options that best meet them.
Of course, the choice is ultimately yours to make, and our role is to make sure that choice is an educated one.
If you’d like to explore the world of family planning, we invite you to contact our office in Carson CIty, Nevada, to set up an appointment.
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