World Contraception Day: Contraception does more than prevent pregnancy

Many people hear the word contraception and still immediately think ‘pregnancy prevention’. This makes sense, since contraceptives are typically referred to as birth control and defined as any method used to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant.

In reality, contraception can help women and couples with reproductive planning and make informed decisions about whether and when they want to have children.

Preventing pregnancy is not the only reason someone may use contraception either.

Depending on the method, hormonal contraceptives can help regulate periods, reduce heavy menstrual bleeding and ease menstrual cramps.

Some are also used to help manage conditions such as endometriosis, while certain combined hormonal contraceptives may help improve acne.

Bonitas Medical Fund says contraception should not be thought of as a single decision made for a single reason. What someone needs from contraception can change at different stages of their life, making it important to understand the available options and choose a method that is appropriate for their health, circumstances and reproductive plans.

There is no ‘best’ contraceptive

The pill may be one of the most familiar forms of contraception, but it is only one option.

There are short-acting methods such as contraceptive pills and injections, longer-acting reversible options such as implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs), barrier methods such as condoms and permanent contraception for people who have completed their families.

They also work in different ways and for different lengths of time. Some require you to remember to take or use them regularly, while others can provide contraception for several years with little day-to-day involvement.

So how do you choose? The decision should take into account factors such as your age and general health, existing medical conditions, medication, possible side effects and how soon you may want to become pregnant.

Lifestyle is worth considering too. A method that requires something from you every day may suit one person perfectly and be completely impractical for another.

Reliable information is particularly important when making decisions about reproductive health. What worked for a friend or family member may not be right for you, and information shared online does not take your individual health into account.

One persistent concern is that using contraception could make it difficult to have children later.

Reversible contraceptive methods do not cause permanent infertility, and fertility generally returns after they are stopped, although how quickly this happens can vary according to the method and the individual.

Side effects are another source of anxiety and misinformation. Contraceptive methods can have side effects and different people may respond differently to the same method. Experiencing unwanted side effects does not mean contraception as a whole is unsuitable for you.

It may simply mean it is worth speaking to a healthcare professional about whether another option would be more appropriate.

Pregnancy prevention is not STI prevention

There is one job that most contraceptive methods cannot do, and that is protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Condoms are the only contraceptive method that can help prevent both unintended pregnancy and the transmission of STIs, including HIV. External condoms are around 98% effective at preventing pregnancy when used correctly every time, although their effectiveness is lower with typical, real-world use.

This means condoms can remain an important part of safer sex even when another form of contraception, such as the pill, injection, implant or IUD, is being used to prevent pregnancy.

Your changing needs

For some people, contraception becomes something they simply continue using year after year. Yet the method that suited you several years ago may not necessarily be the one that best suits you today.

Your health may have changed, you may be taking different medication, relationship circumstances or plans for having children may be different, or you may simply want something that requires less day-to-day thought.

Bonitas encourages people to use World Contraception Day – which takes place annually on 26 September – as an opportunity to reconsider whether their current contraceptive method still suits their needs.

Changes to your health, lifestyle, relationship circumstances or plans for having children may all be reasons to have another conversation with your healthcare provider.

Take the opportunity to ask what you need from contraception now.

Speak to a healthcare professional before starting, changing or stopping a contraceptive method and, if you are a Bonitas member, understand which reproductive and preventative healthcare benefits are available on your specific plan. Your needs change. Your contraception can change with them.

Brought to you by Bonitas Medical Fund.

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