Services List
Birth Control
Birth control, or contraception, can be used to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Birth control services are available at your local health department in the cities of Pembroke, Richmond Hill, Savannah, Springfield, Hinesville, Ludowici, Townsend, Brunswick, St. Mary's, and Woodbine and the following counties: Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden.
The Food and Drug Administration provides the following basic information about birth control. To see which type of birth control might be right for you, talk to your healthcare provider or come visit your local health department.
If you do not want to get pregnant, do not have sex. If you do have sex, there are many birth control options to choose from. No one product is best for everyone. The following is a partial list of different kinds of medicines and devices for birth control (availability at your local health department may vary):
- Barrier Methods (Condoms, diaphragms, sponges)
- Hormonal Methods (oral contraceptive, vaginal contraceptive ring, shot/injection)
- Emergency Contraception
- Implanted Devices (IUD)
Some things to think about as you consider which birth control method may be best for you:
- Your health.
- How often you have sex.
- How many sexual partners you have.
- If you want to have children in the future.
- If you will need a prescription or if you can buy the method over-the-counter.
- The number of pregnancies expected per 100 women who use a method for one year. For comparison, about 85 out of 100 sexually active women who do not use any birth control can expect to become pregnant in a year.
Tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist if you:
- Smoke
- Have liver disease
- Have blood clots
- Have family members who have had blood clots
- Are taking any other medicines
- Are taking any herbal products, like St. Johns Wort
To avoid pregnancy:
No matter which method you choose, it is important to follow all of the directions carefully. If you don't, you raise your chance of getting pregnant. The best way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is to practice total abstinence (do not have any sexual contact).
For more information, visit the FDA website and make an appointment at your local health department.