The Safest, Most Effective Forms Of Contraception

For a long time, the pill was seen as the best form of birth control by many women. But with improvements to IUDs and implants, things are starting to change.

These days lots of women don't want to take a pill everyday to prevent pregnancy. Or they simply forget to take their pill every day, making their risk of accidentally getting pregnant that much higher. An effective solution to this is the IUD or under-the-skin implants that you can use long-term. And ladies seem to be using them.

According to Web MD, a new US government report shows that between 2002 and 2011 the number of women using IUDs or implants has jumped fivefold. Specially users went from 1.5 percent to 7.2 percent over that nine year period.

So why the increased interest in implants?

Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics believe that these methods are gaining traction because of their proven ability to prevent unintended pregnancies as well as the improved quality of the products.

Back in the 1970s IUDs were extremely popular with women, but safety issues led to a drastic decline in their use. But experts say the latest offerings in IUDs and implants have greatly improved in quality and can have longer lasting effects (some even have effects that last for years).

So how do you know which IUD or implant may be right for you? Talking with the family planning staff at Citizens For Citizens, Inc in Fall River and Taunton can be a great place to start.

But experts do remind women that the IUD and implant method of birth control is only for birth control. Preventing STDs will still mean using condoms.