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8
Facts About Postpartum Birth Control
What you should
know before choosing a birth control method.
Here are eight important--and somewhat surprising--facts about postpartum
birth control:
1. A new mom can get pregnant before she's even gotten her period.
Since ovulation occurs two weeks before menstruation, a new mom should
not wait until she's gotten her period again to begin using birth
control.
2. Just because
a woman is breastfeeding does not mean she can't get pregnant. There
are certain criteria that a new mom's breastfeeding patterns must
meet before she can rely on breastfeeding as a form of birth control.
Unless she is breastfeeding at least every four hours during the day
and six hours at night, providing more than 90 to 95 percent of her
baby's food through breast milk, and planning to breastfeed for more
than six months, her risk of getting pregnant is merely reduced--not
enough to rely on breastfeeding as a form of birth control.
3. Nonbreastfeeding
women ovulate for the first time, on average, 45 days after giving
birth. A new mom who chooses not to breastfeed will usually ovulate
between the 25th and 72nd days after giving birth. Forty-five days
is the average.
4. Some forms
of birth control require several weeks to be effective. This, combined
with the fact that a woman may begin ovulating as early as 25 days
after giving birth, indicates that a new mom should begin thinking
about birth control methods as soon as possible after having the baby--or
ideally, during pregnancy.
5. Women who
are breastfeeding should not take birth control pills containing estrogen.
While there is a great deal of debate about whether hormonal supplements
affect breast milk, it's generally agreed that if a breastfeeding
mom decides to go with a hormonal form of birth control, she should
stay away from supplements containing estrogen if possible and stick
with a progestin-only pill.
6. Hormonal methods
of birth control are generally more effective than barrier methods.
Hormonal forms of birth control such as the pill, a patch, the IUD,
and Depo-Provera injections offer new moms a 99 percent effective
rate. Barrier methods, such as a diaphragm, condoms, or spermicide
offer less protection--an 85 percent effective rate.
7. A woman should
be refitted for a diaphragm after giving birth. Since childbirth can
affect the size and shape of a woman's vagina, diaphragm resizing
should be done before resuming intercourse after pregnancy.
8. Tubal ligation,
also known as getting your tubes tied, is the most popular form of
birth control for women in the United States. Eighteen percent of
women in the U.S. have opted for tubal ligation after deciding that
their family was complete. This procedure can be performed as early
as a day after giving birth.
Your
should know:
The
information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes
only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical
advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose
or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your
pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any
questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's
condition.
Rebornne Baby. American Baby
