Contraception
How Can I Decide Which Form of Contraception is Right for Me?
The physicians at Leavitt Women’s Healthcare offer a variety of contraception methods to ensure that every patient’s needs are met. Birth control options include birth control pills, IUDs, and implants. Permanent forms of birth control like Essure and tubal ligation are also available to women who have completed their families. This variety of contraception options means women can choose what’s best for their needs, their lifestyles, and their comfort levels. Some options include long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) like IUDs and arm implants that may be more convenient, but birth control pills are more familiar and offer additional hormonal benefits. Women should discuss their needs honestly during their consultation to ensure they select the birth control that suits them best.
What is an IUD?
The physicians at Leavitt Women’s Healthcare offer a variety of contraception methods to ensure that every patient’s needs are met. Birth control options include birth control pills, IUDs, and implants. Permanent forms of birth control like Essure and tubal ligation are also available to women who have completed their families. This variety of contraception options means women can choose what’s best for their needs, their lifestyles, and their comfort levels. Some options include long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) like IUDs and arm implants that may be more convenient, but birth control pills are more familiar and offer additional hormonal benefits. Women should discuss their needs honestly during their consultation to ensure they select the birth control that suits them best.
What is Nexplanon®?
Nexplanon is a birth control implant which is about the size of a match that is inserted on the inside the patient’s bicep. Nexplanon is effective for up to 3 years, providing constant pregnancy prevention. Many women prefer the implant because it means they do not have to remember to take a pill every day. Once inserted, Nexplanon is over 99% successful at preventing pregnancy although it does not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. If a woman decides that she is ready to become pregnant, Nexplanon can be removed at any time; the implant must be removed and replaced by the end of the third year.
How do I know what birth control is right for me?
Fertility
What is Infertility?
Infertility is a condition where a man or woman is unable to naturally conceive a child. The diagnosis is generally given to couples who have attempted to become pregnant for 12 months with no success. Women over the age of 35 are diagnosed as infertile after 6 months of attempting to become pregnant without conception. For women, an ovulation disorder is usually to blame. Problems such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), uterine fibroids, and egg generation can also cause female infertility. For men, the issue is usually related to the quality or quantity of his sperm.
What Happens During an Infertility Consultation?
Women and their partners will need to have an honest conversation about their health, lifestyle, and attempts to get pregnant. The doctor will collect medical details for both partners attempting to conceive to rule out any other conditions that could impede successful conception. If a woman under the age of 35 has not conceived within a year of having regular, unprotected sex, she and her partner should seek advice. Women over 35 should try for six months before seeking advice. In most cases, further tests will be necessary to diagnose the cause of the fertility issue to help guide the best course of treatment.
What Types of Fertility Treatments are Available?
There are a number of fertility treatments available. The doctor will suggest the treatment that will solve the root cause of the infertility. Treatment may involve intrauterine insemination where the woman’s ovulation cycle is carefully monitored, and sperm is injected directly into the uterus during her most fertile time. In vitro fertilization, also referred to as IVF, is another common, and more complicated, procedure. IVF takes place outside of the womb and is used when other fertility treatments have not resulted in a viable pregnancy. IVF is a multi-step process where eggs are harvested and inseminated outside of the womb before being placed in the uterus during the most hospitable time during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Any additional embryos are frozen for future use if the treatment is not successful.