Contraception & Birth Control

What Types of Birth Control Options Does Houston Obstetrics & Gynecology Offer?

Houston Obstetrics & Gynecology offers a broad array of contraception options to help women select the best method for their needs, including:

• Birth control pills, including new low dose birth control pills, known as OCPs.
• IUD's (intrauterine devices)
• Contraceptive injections, such as the Depo-Provera shot, which is a hormonal injection that prevents pregnancy for three months at a time. 
• Arm implants
• Essure® sterilization and tubal ligation for permanent birth control

What Happens During an IUD Fitting?

IUD fittings take just a few minutes, and they’re performed in the office during a routine pelvic exam. First, a lubricated speculum is used to gently widen the vaginal canal to make it easier to access the cervix, the opening of the uterus. Then, the IUD is inserted through the cervix into the uterus. The IUD is shaped like a “T,” with the shorter “crosspiece” serving as a sort of anchor to hold the device in place. Some IUDs are wrapped in copper, which stimulates production of a fluid that acts to kill off sperm before they reach the egg. Other IUDs use hormones for greater protection against pregnancy. IUDs can be removed at any time in a similar in-office procedure.

Can an IUD Fall Out?

IUDs rarely fall out, but to be safe, prior to having intercourse it’s important to feel for the IUD’s long “tail” that extends into the vaginal canal to ensure the device is still in place.

How Does the Arm Implant Work?

The NEXPLANON® arm implant can be inserted in a simple procedure that takes just a few minutes. During insertion, the skin in the upper arm is numbed with a local anesthetic and a small nick is made in the skin. The implant is inserted and the nick is covered with a bandage. Once it’s in place, the implant can’t be seen, but it can be felt by pressing firmly on the skin. Arm implants need to be replaced every three years.

What is Essure® Sterilization?

Essure® sterilization uses tiny coils implanted into the fallopian tubes to prevent the eggs from descending into the uterus where they may be fertilized. Once implanted, the coils stimulate the development of scar tissue which blocks the tubes. The coils are implanted during a simple outpatient procedure that does not require general anesthesia.