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" You know that birth control is important if you&amp;#039;re sexually active or\u00A0considering having sex, but there are a ton of options out there. You&amp;#039;ve heard that condoms can occasionally break... but you&amp;#039;re also worried about remembering to take the Pill at the same time every day... and even if you&amp;#039;ve heard of IUDs, you&amp;#039;re not exactly sure what they are. Birth control doesn&amp;#039;t have to be tricky. The only way to eliminate your risk of pregnancy completely is to practice abstinence, but there are a variety of other methods that are extremely safe when used correctly.\u00A0 Here, Dr. Rebecca Brightman, a board-certified OB/GYN,\u00A0fellow of the American College of Obstetricians, and physician at East Side Women&amp;#039;s OB/GYN Associates in New York City shares\u00A0the pros and cons of each type of birth control, so you can\u00A0figure out which method is the best fit for you. Condoms Condoms are thin, sheath-shaped devices that fit over a guy&amp;#039;s penis to prevent pregnancy. \u00A0When used correctly every time, condoms are 98 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. But since people aren&amp;#039;t perfect, that figure translates to 82 percent effective in real life. Dr. Brightman recommends you use condoms that contain spermicide (chemicals that stop sperm from moving) to maximize their\u00A0effectiveness.\u00A0Most brands of condoms\u00A0do contain spermicide \u2014\u00A0just check the label on the box to be sure.        PROS:\u00A0 STI protection:\u00A0Condoms are the\u00A0only\u00A0form of birth control that protects against both\u00A0sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy,\u00A0Dr. Brightman says. Price:\u00A0Condoms are a great choice because they&amp;#039;re pretty easily accessible.\u00A0They&amp;#039;re often available for free\u00A0at schools, especially public high schools and colleges \u2014 check out the nurse&amp;#039;s office, the health center, your dorm building, the student center, or even your RA&amp;#039;s room. They&amp;#039;re also available for purchase at all drugstores (12-packs run from about $6 -10).\u00A0 Accessibility:\u00A0Unlike other forms of birth control, you don&amp;#039;t need a doctor&amp;#039;s prescription (or your parents&amp;#039; health insurance!) to access condoms. Can be used with other forms of birth control:\u00A0Even if you&amp;#039;re on another form of birth control, it&amp;#039;s still a good idea to use condoms, anyway \u2014\u00A0to protect yourself from STIs and as\u00A0a back-up method of birth control to give you extra piece of mind.\u00A0 CONS: Condoms sometimes break:\u00A0You might have heard that condoms can break. If used properly, condoms are only expected to break about 0.4 percent of the time \u2014 that&amp;#039;s four breaks in every one thousand uses. If\u00A0your\u00A0condoms are breaking more often than that, it&amp;#039;s likely you&amp;#039;re not putting them on correctly.\u00A0The trick\u00A0is to leave a bit of space at the top. Otherwise, the condom can\u00A0pop like a balloon.\u00A0Pinch the tip of the condom between two fingers with one hand as you place it on the head of the penis, and hold onto it as you roll the material down the shaft with your other hand. \u00A0Other reasons a condom might break? If it was stored in a hot place (like a glove compartment), if it&amp;#039;s past its expiration date, if you accidentally ripped it with your teeth or nails while opening the wrapper, or if you use the same condom more than once (never do this!).\u00A0 Some girls are allergic to latex:\u00A0Condoms are typically made of a material called latex, and about\u00A0one to six percent of the general population is allergic\u00A0to it, according to the Centers for Disease Control. (That stat goes up to 8 to 12 percent for people who wear latex gloves frequently, like doctors and nurses.) If you&amp;#039;re only mildly allergic, you might develop red skin, hives or itching. More severely allergic people can develop a runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, a scratchy throat, and in very rare cases, go into\u00A0anaphylactic shock.\u00A0If you happen to have a latex allergy, it&amp;#039;s still possible to use condoms \u2014 you just need to buy the non-latex kind.\u00A0Find them at your local drugstore\u00A0($14 at Walgreens). Non-latex condoms are about three percent more likely to break than their latex counterparts, so take extra care when putting them on.\u00A0 You need to be prepared:\u00A0Unlike the IUD or the Depo-Provera shot, you actually need to carry condoms with you if they&amp;#039;re your chosen method of birth control. Girl&amp;#039;s gotta be ready. It sounds obvious, but no condom = no sex.\u00A0 Who They&amp;#039;re\u00A0Best For:\u00A0 Again, condoms are the only form of birth control that can protect against STIs. They&amp;#039;re a must if you or\u00A0your partner are sexually active with more than one person,\u00A0or if you or your partner haven&amp;#039;t\u00A0both\u00A0tested negative for STIs.\u00A0Other methods of birth control tend to require visits to your doctor or a clinic, so if you&amp;#039;re concerned with cost or health insurance, condoms are an awesome alternative. The Pill The Pill is a method of birth control that contains the hormones estrogen and progestogen, which\u00A0you take orally at the same time every day to prevent pregnancy.\u00A0When used correctly every time,\u00A0the Pill is 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. But since people aren&amp;#039;t perfect, that figure translates to 91\u00A0percent effective\u00A0in real life.\u00A0        PROS More regular periods:\u00A0One of the main perks of going on the Pill is that once your body adjusts (which can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months), you&amp;#039;ll be able to predict exactly when your period will arrive.\u00A0 More control over your period:\u00A0Hate getting your period every month?Some versions of the Pill only cause you to\u00A0bleed a couple times a year, Dr. Brightman says. Clearer skin:\u00A0Dermatologists often prescribe the Pill to girls who struggle with acne.\u00A0The Pill is packed with the hormone\u00A0estrogen, which suppresses androgen, the hormone that causes\u00A0extra oil production, which leads to zits. The FDA has approved\u00A0three types of the Pill for acne treatment\u00A0\u2014 Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep, and YAZ.\u00A0 CONS It doesn&amp;#039;t protect against STIs:\u00A0Only condoms do that. Unless you and your partner are exclusively monogamous (and you trust them!) and you&amp;#039;ve both tested negative for STIs, you should still\u00A0use condoms \u2014 even if you&amp;#039;re on the Pill.\u00A0 You have to take it at the same time every day:\u00A0In order for the Pill to be effective, you need to take it at approximately the same time every day \u2014 preferably within an hour or two \u2014 in order to keep your hormones at a consistent level. This is especially important if you&amp;#039;re taking a low-estrogen, progestin-only, or mini version of the Pill, all of which are more sensitive. &amp;quot;For young women who have trouble remembering other medications, or to do things on a regular basis, perhaps birth control pills are not the best choice for them,&amp;quot; Dr. Brightman says. It may put you at risk for clotting:\u00A0If you have a family history of clotting while on the Pill or pregnant, this method of birth control can be dangerous for you, Dr. Brightman advises. Instead, opt for condoms, an IUD, or the Depo-Provera shot.\u00A0 You need a prescription from a health care provider:\u00A0That means you need to schedule an appointment with your doctor or visit your local clinic. If you get a prescription, it&amp;#039;ll likely show up on your parents&amp;#039; health insurance, so it&amp;#039;s a good idea to discuss going on the Pill with your parents first. (Awkward? Maybe, at first. Important to keep them in the loop about your health and well-being? Definitely.) Who It&amp;#039;s Best For:\u00A0 The Pill is an effective\u00A0way to prevent pregnancy, regulate your period, and for many,\u00A0improve your skin. If you&amp;#039;re comfortable with the responsibility of taking the Pill at the same time every day and don&amp;#039;t have a family history of\u00A0blood clots in women who are on the Pill or pregnant, it could be the right method of birth control for you. If, however,\u00A0you&amp;#039;re worried that an appointment with your doctor or clinic will lead to unwanted charges on your parents&amp;#039; health insurance, the Pill might not be the best option for you at the moment,\u00A0but it&amp;#039;s worth revisiting if you become comfortable with talking to your parents about going on birth control. An\u00A0IUD An IUD (intrauterine device) is a small, T-shaped piece of plastic that a doctor can insert into your uterus for long-lasting pregnancy prevention.\u00A0IUDs are 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Unlike other methods of birth control, it&amp;#039;s placed inside your body, so\u00A0there&amp;#039;s no possible way to use it incorrectly.        PROS You can be protected for years:\u00A0You still need to be conscious about preventing STIs, but when it comes to preventing pregnancy, you&amp;#039;ll be safe for years to come.\u00A0Depending on the type of IUD you choose, you can be protected from pregnancy for up to two, three, five, or 10 years. If you want your IUD removed, no problem \u2014 your doctor can remove it at any time. Better periods (maybe):\u00A0There are two types of IUDs: hormonal and non-hormonal. Hormonal IUDs contain\u00A0the hormone levonorgestrel, which changes your uterine lining to create much lighter periods. Some girls also find they stop getting cramps with this type of device. Non-hormonal IUDs keep your periods about the same, or slightly heavier, and you might experience a few more cramps. CONS It\u00A0doesn&amp;#039;t protect against STIs:\u00A0Only condoms can do that. Unless you and your partner are exclusively monogamous (and you trust them!) and you&amp;#039;ve both tested negative for STIs, you should still use condoms \u2014 even if you have an IUD.\u00A0 Insertion can be uncomfortable:\u00A0Dr. Brightman describes the sensation as &amp;quot;a very strong period cramp,&amp;quot; plus a crampy feeling immediately afterward. If you&amp;#039;re worried about the pain, she says\u00A0you can take two Advils or Aleves before your appointment. That said, Dr. Brightman says her younger patients are actually tougher when it comes to dealing with\u00A0the discomfort than her older patients who have had children! Unpredictable bleeding:\u00A0Your bleeding might become unpredictable \u2014 aka you might not get your period when you expect it to come. That can be a little disconcerting at first, but in Dr. Brightman&amp;#039;s experience, she&amp;#039;s never seen a patient with a hormonal IUD ever get pregnant.\u00A0 The cost:\u00A0The IUD is the most expensive method of birth control in terms of up-front costs, but many people find it to be a cost-effective choice over the years.\u00A0Between the cost of insertion and the actual IUD itself, your appointment could run a couple hundred dollars. (The exact price that you or your parents would pay depends on your insurance.)\u00A0 Who It&amp;#039;s Best For:\u00A0 If remembering to buy condoms or taking the Pill sounds like a lot of work to you, the IUD is a minimal effort solution to preventing pregnancy.\u00A0Hormonal IUDs have the added benefit of easier-to-manage periods, so they&amp;#039;re also worth talking to your doctor about\u00A0if you experience\u00A0heavy periods and cramps.\u00A0Since this form of birth control requires a visit to your doctor or a local clinic and\u00A0it&amp;#039;s a costly procedure that will show up on your health insurance,\u00A0you might want your parents on-board with your decision. Your mom might feel iffy about IUDs at first, but let her know that today&amp;#039;s IUDs are totally\u00A0safe and popular \u2014 not like the more dangerous versions of decades past.\u00A0 The Depo-Provera Shot The Depo-Provera shot is a form of birth control that&amp;#039;s injected into your muscle (like a vaccine) and lasts for three months. The shot is given within five days of when you start your period.\u00A0If you get the shot injected at regular 12-week increments during the first five days of your period, it&amp;#039;s more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. But if you don&amp;#039;t get the shot in regular 12-week increments, that figure translates to 94 percent effective.\u00A0        PROS It lasts for\u00A0three months:\u00A0Once you have the shot, you should use condoms as a back-up method\u00A0for the first week, and then you&amp;#039;re free to have sex without fear of getting pregnant for the remainder of the next three months.\u00A0 You probably won&amp;#039;t get your period:\u00A0Most women don&amp;#039;t bleed once they&amp;#039;ve been given the shot, since the injection suppresses your pituitary gland, which stops your ovaries from releasing eggs. Once the shot wears off, your cycle will come back normally. CONS It doesn&amp;#039;t protect against STIs:\u00A0Only condoms can do that. Unless you and your partner are exclusively monogamous (and you trust them!) and you&amp;#039;ve both tested negative for STIs, you should still use condoms \u2014 even if you&amp;#039;ve gotten the shot.\u00A0 It lasts for\u00A0three months:\u00A0Yep, it can be\u00A0both a pro and a con. If you experience any negative side-effects (which can include headaches, dizziness, breast pain,\u00A0or moodiness), you&amp;#039;ll have to deal with them until the shot wears off.\u00A0 It&amp;#039;s not safe for long-term use:\u00A0Long-term use is associated with a loss of bone density. While the shot might be the right solution for you now, you want to consider other methods of birth control for later in life. Your doctor will be able to recommend exactly how long it&amp;#039;s safe for you to use the shot.\u00A0 Who It&amp;#039;s Best For:\u00A0 If remembering to buy condoms or taking the Pill sounds like a lot of work to you, the shot\u00A0is a minimal effort solution to preventing pregnancy.\u00A0However, the shot is only advisable if you&amp;#039;re ready for the responsibility of making regular doctor&amp;#039;s appointments every 12 weeks. If that sounds like more trouble than it&amp;#039;s worth to you, a different form of birth control would be a better fit for your lifestyle.\u00A0 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/health/sex-health/a38771/whats-the-best-form-of-birth-control-for-your-lifestyle/>