Choosing the right birth control for your body can be challenging. To make life just a little bit easier, I want to give you a rundown of some non-hormonal birth control options and talk about the benefits and downfalls of each. Reasons women choose to avoid hormonal birth control may be linked with concerns about negative physical side effects, changes in mental health, hormonal contraceptive-induced amenorrhea, adverse impact on sexual health, infertility, and a want to be more naturalistic.
Whatever the reason you’ve decided to investigate non-hormonal birth control options, the decision is yours & the best choice is an informed choice. So, let’s look at what options there are for non-hormonal birth controls and see which one is the best fit for you.
Also known as the “pull-out method”. This method refers to pulling out the penis from the vagina prior to ejaculation.
Pros:
Cons:
This method could be a good option for someone who prioritizes flexibility, is ok with the possibility of pregnancy, and wants to avoid putting any foreign objects or chemicals in their body. This method provides convenience but not reliability and may be a good fit for someone that’s not ready to commit to something a little more comprehensive.
The ParaGard copper IUD is a long term non-hormonal birth control option. The IUD is a small device made of flexible plastic and metal that is placed in the uterus. Insertion of this device requires an in-office procedure. This device acts as a blocking mechanism to block the sperm from entering the uterus.
Pros:
Cons:
This option could be good for someone who highly wants to avoid pregnancy for a longer time frame, is ok with managing heavy flow periods and more intense pain with cramping, lives a busy life, and doesn’t want to worry about closely managing their birth control.
Diaphragms are dome-shaped latex or silicone barriers that you insert into your vagina and sit over your cervix. It’s recommended to see a clinician to get the right fitting and instructions before use. This method can be used conjunctively with spermicide, a chemical gel, foam, or jelly that kills sperm.
Pros:
Cons:
This option may be a good fit for someone that lives a more regimented life, is ok with managing a higher maintenance method, and wants to maintain more control of their birth control method.
Condoms are one of the more popular non-hormonal birth control methods. Condoms are mainly made from latex, but some are made from polyurethane.
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This option could be a good option for someone who prioritizes convenience, has multiple partners, wants to reduce STD risks, and wants to spend less time managing their birth control.
The main concept for fertility awareness is tracking your menstrual cycle to determine when you are ovulating. The varying methods in fertility awareness focus on calendar tracking, basal body temperature tracking, and cervical mucus methods to determine ovulation time.
Pros:
Cons:
This method is good for someone who prioritizes avoiding altering their body’s natural rhythms, has good management skills, wants to avoid adding anything foreign to their body, and wants to increase fertility involvement of their partner.
Services to help you track:
Phexxi is one of the newest FDA-approved non-hormonal birth controls released on the market. Phexxi is a prescription vaginal gel that lowers the pH in your vagina which inhibits the sperm from movement. You insert the dose of Phexxi into your vagina before intercourse.
Pros:
Cons:
This method is a good fit for someone who prioritizes convenience, doesn’t have cost barriers, and isn’t ready to commit to a more long-term method or a method that needs more self-management.
So which method is right for you? The birth control option that fits you best depends on which method you can be most consistent with. If you are currently on hormonal birth control and are thinking about transitioning to a non-hormonal option, it’s important to prepare your body for this transition. By having a plan in place for coming off hormonal birth control, you will decrease unwanted symptoms like acne, weight gain, or PMS. To learn more about what steps to take when you are planning to come off birth control, check out our mini course Balance Your Hormones Naturally After Birth Control here.
Written by: Nicole Morgan
Instagram: noticeably_nourished
References
Cornell Health. (2021, July). Intrauterine device (IUD) – Cornell health. The Intrauterine Device. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/Intrauterine-Device.pdf
Cornell University. (2019, October 18). Non-hormonal methods contraception – Cornell Health. Cornell health. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://health.cornell.edu/sites/health/files/pdf-library/non-hormonal-methods-contraception.pdf
Fulton, A. (2021, October 28). Hormonal vs. non-hormonal contraception: What’s the difference? HealthyWomen. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.healthywomen.org/created-with-support/hormonal-vs-non-hormonal-contraception/particle-5
Le Guen, M., Schantz, C., Régnier-Loilier, A., & de La Rochebrochard, E. (2021). Reasons for rejecting hormonal contraception in western countries: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 284, 114247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114247
Parenthood, P. (2018, February 1). What are the best birth control options that aren’t hormonal? Planned Parenthood. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/ask-experts/what-are-the-best-birth-control-options-that-arent-hormonal
Staff, N. W. H. N. (2020, August 5). Fact sheet: PHEXXI contraceptive gel: National Women’s Health Network. National Women’s Health Network |. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://nwhn.org/phexxi/
UC Davis. (2019, June 17). Fertility awareness. Fertility Awareness | Student Health and Counseling Services. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/health-topic/fertility-awareness
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