Q:

I've been doing a lot of research about healthy birthcontrol options. I have been with my partner for 3 years. I had an IUD for two of them (and 3 years before that) and now I am on the pill. I do not like taking the pill. I end up being really down the week of the sugar pills, and I've read a lot about estrogen being a carcinogin, my family has EXTREMELY high rates of brest and ovarian cancers..so this is an issue for me...I guess its just that with all the politics surrounding this issue, I am wondering, what is the most effective AND the healthiest option for my body? Also, if I paired Natural Family Planning (Monitoring cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and cervical position) with a barrier method, how effective would that be?

 

A:

A combination of Natural Family Planning and barrier (cervical cap/diaphragm plus condoms plus spermicide) is very effective birth control if you have predictable cycles. Failure rate is in the 5 out of 100 women per year as opposed to hormonal contraceptive failure rate of 2 out of 100 women per year. The problem is that it you have to be very diligent in using the barriers every time, no matter what.

You can meet with a Peer Sexual Health Adviser for further information--call 650-3400 to set up an appointment.

~The Doc