Contraceptive Choices

Ok I give the IUD 2 thumbs up for not having to remember a pill, going to get a shot every 3 months and bloating up like a balloon. However I give it only a thumbs up for being a very convenient form of birth control, that way I can decide when I want to have another child. So that way Im not 24 with 3 kids under the age of 5 like a friend of mine. However as with everything there is a down side to it. First your periods are very weird. This does also differ from person to person. I know that Im tired of 2 periods in one. I have gained some weight with it, though not as bad as when I was on Depo. At least this time it is a slow gain. They did tell me however that at the point when Im completely fed up and want it out is when things will get better. Well I have been to that point and beyound but I still have it. I just keep hoping that the cramps will go away, the bleeding will get better, and the weight will go back down. Wish me luck!

I currently have the Paragard IUD. I've had it alittle over a year and personally I love it. I am a 34 yr old single parent of one 5 year old. I chose the IUD because it lets me control my fertility for an extended period of time and I don't have the same issues I had from hormonal contraception.

The only con I would say I have is that I still have to use condoms for STD protection but that's not even a major issue because I beleive in that anyway.

I don't forsee myself switching to another form of birth control because I am very happy. Prior to the IUD, I had the Nuvaring, which I think its great convenience wise but I had a bad reaction to the hormones. It it wasn't for that I would probably still be using it.

I use the three month shot (Depo) and I love it! You don't have to think about it but every 3 months (and I always make my appointment when I get my shot for the next time), you have lighter periods and no chance of forgetting to take one pill and it's much mor effective than almost anything else. The only thing I don't like about it is the price. I have two insurance mine and my husbands but neither pays for birth control.

It works! I never have to worry about my girlfriend getting me pregnant.

Seriously though, this poll could use a few more options, for those who personally don't use birth control because they're practicing abstinence, because they don't sleep with men, or because their male partners had vasectomies or use male birth control (which does exist, but isn't commercially available in the U.S. due to the misconception that birth control is the woman's job).

I'm on depo so far so good, one of the risk is that the more you are on it the more chances to lose calcium, but I am preventing that by taking calcium.

I was using the depo vero shot. I had my daughter in July of 2005 and in August 2005 I was on the shot. I really enjoyed it because you go to the doctor every 3 months and you don't have to worry about getting pregnant. Well now my daughter is going to be 3 in July and I want to plan on having another baby. So I got off of depo in May 2007, that was when I had my last shot and I was due for my next one in August but I didn't go back. And let me tell you now what I am experiencing, in September I pretty much bleed the whole month and my period was all messed up. I even thought I was pregnant I had at least 5 signs. Yes depo is a good birth control method but before you get on it be aware of the risks.