Family Planning

What is family planning?

Family planning means choosing when to have children rather than letting nature take its course.

Waiting until you’re financially and emotionally ready for a baby makes parenthood less stressful. You might have medical or career reasons for wanting to delay pregnancy. Whatever your situation, family planning helps you manage your fertility.

Michigan Avenue Primary Care offers complete family planning care, including birth control and preconception care.

What role does birth control play in family planning?

Birth control or contraception allows you to choose the timing of conception and prevent unintended pregnancy. Many birth control choices are available, including:

Short-acting hormonal methods

Hormonal birth control uses the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone to prevent conception. Short-acting hormonal methods are ones that you take or use regularly and are easy to stop. They include the combined birth control pill (estrogen and progesterone), progesterone-only pills, the vaginal ring, birth control patches, and injections.

Long-acting hormonal methods

Long-acting hormonal methods last for years without you having to worry about them. Michigan Avenue Primary Care offers Nexplanon® birth control implants and Mirena®, Skyla®, and Kyleena® intrauterine devices (IUDs). Alternatively, you could choose the Paragard® long-acting nonhormonal copper-based IUD.

Barrier birth control

Barrier methods of birth control work by stopping sperm from entering the uterus. Male and female condoms, diaphragms (caps), and contraceptive sponges are the main barrier methods. They work better when used with a spermicidal gel that kills stray sperm.

Condoms are the only form of contraception that also protects you against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Sterilization

Sterilization (permanent birth control) is available for men and women who are sure they don’t want to conceive. The Michigan Avenue Primary Care doctors can refer men to a urologist for a vasectomy and women to an OB/GYN for tubal ligation.

What is preconception care?

Preconception care identifies risks to your fertility and possible problems with pregnancy. These risks might be:

• Medical
• Genetic
• Behavioral
• Environmental

Your doctor at Michigan Avenue Primary Care can identify these risks before conception to increase your chances of a successful pregnancy. They also offer expert advice on preparing for pregnancy by improving your diet and fitness. They can help you quit alcohol and tobacco and give you information on the best way to conceive.

Call Michigan Avenue Primary Care today or book an appointment online for expert family planning support to choose the perfect time to have children.