Why should you consider long-term contraception, you ask? Well, let’s unravel the reasons one by one. First of all, long-term birth control should not be confused with permanent birth control choices like “getting your tubes tied”. Long-term contraception refers to a contraceptive method that provides protection against pregnancy for an extended period of time.
If we take a closer look at the letter “R”, it means reversible. It is one of the key factors in choosing birth control. If you want to jump into motherhood in the future, LARC can be a good birth control option for you. Long-acting methods include the copper IUD, the hormonal implant, and the contraceptive implant. These are considered long-acting methods because they last for three to five years after insertion. But any time you decide to become pregnant, you can have them removed.
Long-term contraception is also known to be highly effective in preventing pregnancy. Birth control is not one-size-fits-all, but LARC is a great option for a woman who may want to become pregnant in the future but also desires long-term, highly effective pregnancy prevention. For example, with IUDs or implants, your chance of getting pregnant is less than 1 in 100 the first year you use them. These “fit-and-forget” methods last for years, and once they’re in, you don’t have to do anything else to prevent pregnancy. Implants and IUDs are alike in other ways, too. A doctor or health provider has to insert and remove them; you can’t do it yourself.
Let’s take a closer look at the IUD. It is a tiny, T-shaped device that goes inside your uterus. Among DKT WomanCare’s products, you can find two types: hormonal and copper. What is the difference? The hormonal IUD (like Eloira) releases the hormone progestin into your body. It prevents pregnancy by making the mucus in your cervical canal too thick for sperm to get through, by stopping your ovaries from releasing eggs, and by preventing a fertilized egg from attaching to the lining of your uterus. The copper IUD (like Silverline) is wrapped in thin copper wire that’s toxic to sperm. It also keeps a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
As for a hormonal implant, it is a tiny tube about the size of a matchstick that goes under the skin of your upper arm. It releases a small amount of hormone (in Levoplant, we use levonorgestrel) to stop your ovaries from releasing eggs and make the mucus in the cervix too thick for sperm to get through. Contraceptive implants are 99% effective and invisible; no one can see them until you tell them.
LARC methods are extremely convenient and reliable for preventing pregnancy. This is why many women choose them. The magic of LARC is its ease of use without any reminders. Unlike the pill that you have to remember to take every single day, there is no risk of missing LARC until the time of removal. These methods are effective and long-lasting. But the final choice depends on your own preferences.
