Contraceptive implants and IUDs are safe, effective birth control options for most females
TUESDAY, July 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Obstetrician-gynecologists should counsel pregnant women about use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs), immediately after they give birth, according to an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion published in the August issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
"We encourage maternity providers to begin discussions about postpartum contraception prior to delivery to ensure women have the time and information they need to select the best method for them," statement coauthor Ann Borders, M.D., said in an ACOG news release.
The doctors' group recommends implementing a LARC in the period between delivery and hospital discharge. "The period following delivery is a busy, exhausting, and often stressful time, and immediate postpartum insertion of LARC may eliminate some of the stressors during that time, like scheduling multiple appointments," Borders said.
The patient-doctor conversations should cover the benefits and risks of these types of birth control, along with other types of birth control, so that women can make informed decisions, ACOG said. Contraceptive implants and IUDs are "safe and highly effective birth control options for most females, including adolescents," according to the statement.
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