What type of contraception is best for me

If you want your fertility to return to normal quickly after you stop using contraception, consider these methods:. Your fertility may take longer to return to normal after stopping the contraceptive injection. Most women's fertility will return in a few months, but it can take up to a year for fertility to return to normal. Find out about getting pregnant.

It's possible to become pregnant again very soon after the birth of a baby, even if you're breastfeeding and even if your periods haven't returned. You ovulate release an egg about two weeks before your period arrives, so your fertility may have returned before you realise it. It's important to sort out contraception from the start. If you had your baby in hospital, you will probably have discussed contraception with a family planning advisor before being discharged home.

You'll also be asked about contraception at your six week postnatal check, but you can discuss it at any time with your health visitor, midwife, GP or local family planning clinic. You can use male condoms , female condoms or the progestogen-only pill as soon as you feel ready to have sex. You can start to use a contraceptive implant from 21 days after the birth. If you are not breastfeeding , you can start to use the combined pill , vaginal ring and contraceptive patch from 21 days after the birth.

However, if you are breastfeeding , these three contraceptive methods may affect your milk supply and you are usually advised to wait until the baby is six months old. You can usually have a contraceptive injection or start using a diaphragm or cap around six weeks after giving birth. If you used a diaphragm or cap before becoming pregnant, see your GP or contraception family planning clinic after the birth to ensure that it still fits correctly.

This is because childbirth and other factors such as weight loss or gain can mean you need a different size. An intrauterine device IUD , also known as a 'coil', or intrauterine system IUS can sometimes be fitted within 48 hours of giving birth. Home Healthy living Contraception Getting started Things to consider when choosing contraception.

Things to consider when choosing contraception See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. Age, health, lifestyle, side effects 2. Contraception after having a baby. Age, health, lifestyle, side effects There are 15 different methods of contraception currently available in the UK.

The following questions can help you decide which method is most suitable for you: How effective are the different methods? Can you make contraception part of your daily routine? Would you prefer contraception that you don't have to remember every day?

Are you comfortable inserting contraceptives into your vagina? Combined pill COC. The combined pill is usually just called the pill.

It contains two hormones — estrogen and progestogen. These are…. Read more. Condoms external. External male and internal female condoms are barrier methods of contraception. They stop sperm meeting an egg. Condoms internal. Internal female and external male condoms are barrier methods of contraception.

Contraceptive implant. It releases a…. Read more Contraceptive implant. Almost all women in the United States use birth control at some point. Some you may have heard about or tried, while other options might be new to you.

Finding the contraception that works best for your personal lifestyle and family planning can be very rewarding because it lets you direct your life the way you want. With so many possibilities, where do you start? What should you keep in mind? Generally, there are five categories of birth control methods. Each method works in a different way, like preventing sperm from getting to an egg or discouraging your body from releasing eggs. Female condom Each time you have sex.

Withdrawal method Each time you have sex. Combined pill Every day at roughly the same time. Progestogen-only pill Every day at roughly the same time. Natural family planning Every day to record your fertility signs. Contraceptive patch Every week. Vaginal ring Every month.

Female sterilisation Permanent.