Family Planning & Contraceptives Specialist

What is Family Planning?

Family planning is a way for women to take control of their bodies and dictate when they wish to become pregnant. Family planning takes into consideration the woman’s lifestyle, goals, and sexual activity to organize the best method to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Family planning is crucial to the health of women, even if they don’t have any plans to bear children. Regular checkups with Dr. Okasi mean security for you and your health.

How Do You Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy?

The tools and medication used to prevent pregnancy are known as contraceptives. These are available in various shapes and sizes and can have different effects on the body.

Contraceptives reduce the chance of pregnancy up to 99% when used properly and can be beneficial in other areas of female health. Otherwise known as birth control, contraceptives can be administered in a variety of methods ranging from daily pills, monthly injections, uterine inserts, and hormone-releasing devices inserted inside the body.

How Do I Know What Contraceptive is Right for Me?

Your lifestyle will heavily influence the form of contraceptive that best suits you. For instance, if you’re looking to prevent pregnancy for a short period of time, contraceptives like birth control pills can provide effective protection with a short readjustment time if you choose to have a child in the near future.

If you’re not looking to have a child in the next 3 to 5 years, an IUD or Nexplanon may be right for you. The IUD is a small insert placed inside the uterus and it releases a small amount of medication daily to prevent pregnancy. Some IUDs also give you light periods and reduce menstrual pain. Having the IUD is a worry-free method of birth control recommended for young women even before childbearing.

Remember, a consultation with Dr. Okasi is the best way to decide what contraceptive is best for you.

What are the Benefits of Contraceptives?

The primary benefit and function of contraceptives is to prevent unwanted birth. Unwanted birth can result in a slew of problems that may interfere with your current lifestyle. Birth control also has benefits outside of preventing pregnancy, and many women use birth control for these purposes first.

For instance, if birth control introduces hormones into the body, it can be used to help regulate heavy or irregular periods. Contraceptives may also help alleviate symptoms associated with irregular periods, such as unusual bleeding and crippling pain. One benefit of long-term contraceptives is that they provide you with peace of mind. For instance, taking a pill every day may become tedious, but having a device reside within your arm becomes an afterthought.