What to Expect During Contraception Counseling

With choices ranging from injections to pills to devices, you may feel a bit overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the contraception that’s right for you. 

We get it. That’s why our women’s health experts at Eve Medical of Miami offer contraceptive counseling. Though we’ve been helping women find the right birth control to meet their family planning needs for more than 40 years, you may not know what to expect during contraception counseling.

Here, we want to share some of the things we do when you come in for counseling. 

About contraceptive counseling

Despite having so many options to prevent pregnancy, every year about half of all pregnancies in the United States are unexpected. There are many reasons why the rates of unintended pregnancies are so high, including cost and access to contraceptive care. 

Rates of unexpected pregnancies are much lower in women who consistently and correctly use birth control. That’s why we offer free contraception counseling. 

We conduct all of our contraceptive counseling sessions in a private office, and everything you tell us is protected by patient-provider confidentiality. 

Reviewing your current and future pregnancy plans

The goal of contraceptive counseling is to help you stay in control of your body and health and prevent unexpected pregnancies. In order to determine the right method of birth control for you, we first need to know about your current and future pregnancy plans.

We also discuss your sexual health, including sexual activity and the methods you currently use to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and prevent unintended pregnancies. 

Discussing your contraception options

Once we understand your family planning needs, we talk to you about your birth control options. 

Some of the methods we offer include:

• Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• Birth control injections
• Birth control pills
• Hormonal patches
• Vaginal rings

We explain how each type of contraception works and how to use it. We also discuss the pros and cons of the different types, including potential health benefits and side effects. 

Our goal during contraception counseling is to provide you with as much information as possible so you can make an informed decision when selecting your birth control method.

Evaluating your health

Before we make any final decisions about the type of birth control best suited for you, we conduct a physical exam to assess your general health. During the exam we check your blood pressure and heart rate and measure your weight.

We may also conduct STD testing or pregnancy testing. 

Though it’s not necessary when you come in for contraception counseling, we may also perform a pelvic exam to assess your gynecological health. 

Providing your contraception

After your counseling and health evaluation, we help you decide what method of contraception best fits your needs. We then provide the contraceptive or prescription, along with instructions on how to use it.

Depending on your needs, we may schedule a follow-up visit. But, in most cases, we won’t need to see you until your next scheduled well-woman exam. Of course, we’re always available if any problems or questions come up before your routine appointment.

Contraception counseling puts you in control of your health and body. To schedule your free contraception counseling session, contact us today by calling our office in Miami, Florida, or requesting an appointment here on the website.