Thanks, Birth Control!

By Hyacinth- YAB Intern

Today is Thanks, Birth Control Day, a chance to remember all of the reasons we are glad to have birth control options! We asked our TeenSource Youth Advisory Board members about what their experiences are with birth control and how it helped them.

“It helped my acne and stabilized my sleeping schedule. Of course it’s different for everyone and finding the right birth control is just as hard as remembering to take it.”

- Marisa, Oakdale

While the most common birth control people use is the pill, it may not work for others. Other methods include the hormonal IUD, implant, patch or ring. Some find it hard to keep track of taking the pill every day at the same time, so they may use a method like the IUD or the implant. If you would like to start birth control, but have no idea which method is right for you check out this chart and get a sense of the options. You can find a clinic near you and discuss with a doctor, too. If you feel that method is not working for you, you can stop using it and try other methods out. Not every method is perfect for everyone and what’s amazing is you have the ability to decide how long to take it, or when you want to stop.

“I have a disability called PMDD and for some people, birth control saves lives. It can greatly reduce symptoms for reproductive disorders like mine and regulate hormones.”

- Michelle, Irvine

Some, like Michelle, use birth control for health reasons, like helping with acne or reducing period symptoms. While almost all methods are known to reduce periods, most people with a uterus that have the hormonal IUD and implant eventually have light periods or no period at all.

“It always seemed off to me that pills for men don’t appear to be a thing. I know it’s scientifically possible, but there never seems to have been a commercial focus on it.”

- Scott, Los Angeles

Most methods of birth control are for someone with a uterus, but the most common method that can be used by someone with a penis is condoms! It is the only method that can prevent pregnancy and protect against STDs. Just remember that the only 100% effective method of birth control is abstinence – and let’s look forward to the day when there are more methods of birth control for people born cis-male!

Learn more about what birth control options are available and find the one that is right for you. If you are interested in starting birth control,  find a clinic near you!