What Form of Birth Control Is Right for Me?

Long gone are the days when women only had a few ways to prevent pregnancy. In 2025, you have access to a range of contraceptive choices that work in different ways. That means you can choose an option that meets your short- and long-term goals. 

With so many types of birth control available, pinpointing the right one for you might be tricky. We can help. As specialists in contraception, board-certified OB/GYNs Charis Trench-Simmons, MD, and Lorenza Simmons, MD, can help you identify the best choice for you.

Visit us at Prestige Healthcare OBGYN in Atlanta, Georgia, to get started. 

An overview of your options

Right now, your birth control choices include:

• Barriers like condoms and diaphragms
• Short-acting options like birth control pills and vaginal rings
• Long-acting birth control like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and Nexplanon®
• Tubal ligation

Each of these options comes with pros and cons. 

Even within the categories, there are things to consider. If you like the idea of an IUD so you don’t have to worry about birth control for years to come, you can choose a hormonal IUD or Paragard®, an IUD made of copper. 

The copper in Paragard creates an environment that’s toxic for sperm, preventing pregnancy without any hormones. That said, some women say it makes their menstrual cycle more uncomfortable.

Clearly, there’s a lot to think about here. 

Choosing the right birth control for you

You don’t have to explore the world of birth control on your own. Dr. Simmons and Dr. Trench-Simmons can offer guidance based on what’s most important to you. 

If, for example, you want to minimize the amount of hormones you rely on to prevent pregnancy, we can help you explore hormone-free options like barrier methods or Paragard. 

If you don’t want to worry about remembering to use a barrier each time or the potential discomfort of Paragard, we can also discuss options that keep the hormones localized. 

Hormonal IUDs, for example, only apply the hormone progestin directly to your uterus rather than circulating it throughout your entire body. 

Your long-term family planning goals also play a significant role in your decision. Different birth control methods have different timelines for reversibility. With IUDs, Nexplanon, and vaginal rings, fertility returns quickly after removal. 

After the pill, it takes a few months to get pregnant. 

Tubal ligation, on the other hand, is a permanent birth control method. You should only go this route if you’re certain you don’t want to have children. 

We’re here to help you find the right birth control method. To get started, call our office or book an appointment online today.