Having a child is a big adjustment in a woman’s life. Birth control methods are adopted by a woman if she feels she is not ready for a child. She has to ask herself the question, "Am I prepared to have a child? Am I ready?"

There are several methods to avoid a pregnancy. These methods can either give temporary or permanent prevention. Temporary or reversible method can be used to prevent conception without any effect on fertility. Permanent prevention is where the process is irreversible as this method involves surgery.

Types of Methods

Natural method

This method does not involve any hormonal intake or surgery. It is essential to study a woman’s menstrual cycle and make efforts to watch out for signs and symptoms for ovulation. During ovulation period, sexual intercourse should be avoided as the woman is highly fertile. The egg is ready to be fertilized by the sperm. These methods can also be called as fertility awareness methods.

Withdrawal

The man withdraws his penis from the vagina before ejaculation so that the sperm does not enter the vagina. This method is however not completely effective as

• The sperm can be released even before the man reaches orgasm

• The man can also lose self-control and delay withdrawal

Breastfeeding

A nursing mother may not ovulate during breastfeeding. She may become fertile only 10-12 weeks after her delivery. But sometimes the nursing mother may start ovulating even before her menstrual cycle resumes. Care must be taken to have protected sex during this time.

Barrier methods

These are methods which bar the entry of the sperm into the vagina. The methods may include condoms, female condoms, contraceptive sponge, and other doctor prescribed methods like diaphragm and cervical cap. Spermicides are also contraceptive agents which kill the sperm and do not allow any contact with the egg.

Hormonal methods

The hormones can be estrogen or progesterone. They can be taken orally, implanted into the tissue, injected, absorbed from a patch or placed in the vagina.

A nursing mother however cannot take a combination of estrogen and progesterone. She will not be able to use the patch, vaginal ring or take combination pills. Estrogen will affect the baby and also the milk supply. A nursing mother can resort to only progesterone control methods. These can be mini pills, Depo-Provera.

If you don’t find these methods worth the risk, you can always utilize other pregnancy prevention methods.

Intrauterine Devices

These devices are inserted by the doctors into the vagina. None of these devices affect lactation. Women can easily resort to this method after their delivery.

Permanent contraceptive methods

Surgical sterilization is permanent birth control methods where the partners have decided not to have children in future. The surgeries may be performed on the man or the woman. They include vasectomy, tubal ligation, selective tubal occlusion procedure and hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).

Abstinence

Abstinence is where the man and woman refrain from having any sexual intercourse. It is 100% effective pregnancy prevention method and there can be no fear if there is complete control over one’s self.