It is a fact that birth control methods do sometimes fail – a prophylactic such as a condom may fail and a woman may well forget to take a pill or two in a month, with the result that unwanted pregnancies do occur.

paragard iudFor this and other reasons, women now opt for long term birth control, which helps them have more control over their reproductive life – in a manner that can be hormone free, milder, with fewer side effects and as effective.

Though there are drawbacks, for many women long term birth control methods are the way to go. Some of the long term birth control options that women can opt for are:

  • One option that uses hormones is Implanon – a small rod that is inserted into the upper arm, which releases a low dose of progestin for an extended period which can extend to three years.
  • The intra uterine device ParaGard has been a popular choice since the 80s and is a non hormonal T shaped device that is inserted into the uterus.
  • Mirena is a recently developed IUD that is inserted into the uterus and which releases low dose progestin. This does not cause the hormone to circulate throughout the body.