Is It Time to Reevaluate Your Birth Control Method?

If you’re not sure that your current method of birth control is the best one for your body and your lifestyle, consider adding a reevaluation of your choice in contraception to your list of resolutions. New year, new method!

While the pill is still one of the most popular methods, today there are many more birth control options. Folks can choose from 18 categories of FDA-approved birth control methods, in addition to behavior-based methods such as fertility awareness, withdrawal, and abstinence. Advances in reproductive technology that allow for even more choices when it comes to birth control are on the horizon! But which option works for a person at one point in their life may not later on. On average, people in the US use three different birth control methods throughout the course of their lives and nearly one-third have used five or more methods. 

There’s no such thing as the perfect method, and there is no hierarchy of birth control based on effectiveness or longevity. What matters most is how you feel about how your method meets your expectations for your lifestyle and your body. As your life evolves, so too may your health care needs. So, even if a method has worked for you in the past, it may not be the best option for you in the present or future. Kick off 2022 by taking the time to check in with yourself and reassess your needs, including thinking about what you need from your birth control! 

Here are just some signs that you need to reevaluate your birth control method going into the new year: 

• You aren’t happy with the side effects.
• Your period situation isn’t working for you.
• You can’t use your current method discreetly enough.
• You’re struggling to keep up with your method’s schedule.
• You need more control over your method.
• You’re worried about pregnancy and/or STI prevention.
• You’re looking for non-contraceptive benefits.
• Your reproductive goals and/or needs have changed.

The list goes on. If your method isn’t working out for you, check out Bedsider’s clinic finder to locate a health care provider near you or to see how you can get birth control delivered right to your door.  

Unfortunately, the expense of getting a particular method can be prohibitive for many, especially since the true cost of contraception also includes the cost of the office visit, as well as secondary expenses, such as transportation and lost wages. In fact, 22% of women at risk of an unplanned pregnancy reported they would want to use a different contraceptive method if cost were not an issue. 

Our Contraceptive Access Fund, BCBenefits, is working to bring access to those who need it most. So, if you can start your new year by donating to help ensure that folks can access the method that is right for them. You can also get involved in what your state is doing to expand access by visiting our Advancing Contraceptive Access toolkit!