Contraceptive procedures, including permanent sterilization, in Katy TX
Women who don’t want to have a baby have many options for preventing unplanned pregnancies. From condoms to the pill, IUDs to a patch, vaginal rings to permanent sterilization; the choices seem almost endless. However, it’s important for each patient to think about her unique situation when deciding on which procedure to choose. Dr. Taryll L. Jenkins of Jenkins Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Medicine has been helping his patients in the Katy area make their family planning decisions for many years. He understands that the needs of a woman who is single or recently married may be very different than those of an older woman who already has children.
Dr. Jenkins helps his patients make the best decision for their lifestyle and budget by having an honest conversation with each patient. Some of the questions he often asks are:
- Do you want to prevent pregnancy for a few months, a few years, or forever? Understanding a patient’s future plans for her family are important. Some birth control methods are effective for a single use, others last for a month at a time, while still others are effective for several months, or even years. While the long-term options can often be stopped or reversed, sterilization procedures are almost always permanent.
- How often do you want to think about birth control? Some patients aren’t bothered by needing to remember to take a pill every day. However, others feel that they have enough to think about and prefer a method they can “set and forget”. If a patient isn’t disciplined in taking a pill every day, she could experience unwanted side effects such as irregular spotting or even an unplanned pregnancy.
- Is your partner taking any of the pregnancy-prevention responsibility? It takes two to make a baby, so women are advised to make sure that their partner is also a part of the contraceptive conversation. In some instances this includes remembering to purchase and use condoms, which (unlike other methods of birth control) also help to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. For patients who are completely sure they don’t want to become pregnant now or ever, permanent sterilization procedures can be performed on both men and women.
To determine the birth control method that is best for you, talk to your doctor about the options that are available, your lifestyle, your budget, and your future plans. For more information about pregnancy prevention, call Dr. Taryll Jenkins today.