3 Birth Control Categories That Don't Use Hormones

Pregnancy and building a family just isn’t in the cards for you at the moment, and you want to back this decision up with birth control. You also don’t want to use hormonal birth control methods, which narrow your choices somewhat, but you still have plenty of options.

To help shed some light on non-hormonal contraception, the team of women’s healthcare specialists here at Bay Area Physicians for Women’s Health pulled together a few popular categories of birth controls that prevent pregnancy without relying on hormones.

1. Copper IUD 

If you’re looking for a birth control method that’s effective, doesn’t rely on hormones, and is long-lasting, yet reversible, the copper IUD (intrauterine device) might be just the ticket.

Available under the brand name Paraguard®, this IUD is made of copper, which repels sperm. In addition to repeling sperm, the copper IUD also thickens your cervix, making it far more difficult for sperm to gain access to your eggs.

This form of birth control provides near perfect protection from pregnancy and also lasts for about 10 years. Should you decide you want to get pregnant, we can simply remove the IUD at any time to restore your fertility.

2. Other barrier methods

Though the IUD checks a lot of great boxes, other birth control options are categorized as barrier methods, which means they prevent sperm from meeting and fertilizing your eggs. Some examples of these barrier methods include:

• Condoms
• Diaphragms
• Cervical caps
• Sponges
• Spermicide
• Vaginal gels

These birth control options offer protection rates that range from 71% to 87%, and these rates are greatly influenced by how well you use them. For example, you want to make sure that the diaphragm or cervical cap is in the correct position or that a condom is put on properly without breaking.

3. Natural, and non-hormonal, birth control options

Another option for avoiding hormonal birth controls is through more natural methods of preventing an unplanned pregnancy, such as:

• The withdrawal method — the male pulls out before ejaculation
• Fertility awareness (tracking your menstrual cycles)
• Outercourse — you have sex outside your vagina
• Abstinence

These methods require a little planning, vigilance, and creativity on your part, so be sure you truly understand how they work. For example, you might think that having your partner pull out right before they ejaculate will work well, but many men can ejaculate a small amount before the final climax.

And when it comes to fertility awareness, you need to track your cycles and keep a calendar to know when you’re ovulating so that you can plan your sexual activity accordingly.

As you can see, you aren’t without options if you’re looking to prevent pregnancy without using hormones. To figure out which option will work best for your goals, we’re happy to sit down with you to discuss your choices.

To get started, please contact our office in Mobile, Alabama, to schedule a consultation.