Birth Control

FPA Women's Health -  - Women's Health

FPA Women's Health


It may be hard to believe, but 45% of annual pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and many of these can be prevented with proper birth control. At FPA Women’s Health, located in multiple locations throughout Los Angeles County and across California, each team of experienced and caring physicians and nurse practitioners offer a variety of birth control methods to meet your needs, including the pill, the patch, Plan B, and several different intrauterine devices (IUDs). To learn more, call the office to schedule an appointment or book online today.

Birth Control

What different types of birth control are available?

As a woman, you have a wide variety of birth control options. At FPA Women’s Health, the team helps you decide the type of birth control that’s best for you with regard to your overall health, your pregnancy goals, and your lifestyle. Some birth control methods for women include:

Each birth control method has different advantages, so your doctor helps you decide which one is right for you. Many of these methods provide 99% or more effectiveness in preventing pregnancy temporarily, long term, or permanently. 

How do IUDs prevent pregnancy?

An IUD is a small, flexible, T-shaped device that your provider inserts into your uterus. IUDs are long-acting, reversible birth control devices, typically preventing pregnancy from 3-10 years. IUDs are a safe, highly effective birth control method for women who don’t wish to become pregnant in the immediate future. 

Some IUDs release low doses of hormones that interfere with your body’s ovulation cycle, another type is a hormone-free IUD that contains copper. The copper prevents sperm from reaching an egg and fertilizing it, and can even work as an emergency contraception up to five days after unprotected sex. 

Click here to learn more about IUDs and the different options that are available. 

Your provider at FPA Women’s Health easily inserts the IUD in a matter of minutes during an office visit. When you no longer want to prevent pregnancy, your provider can easily remove the IUD and your body resumes or continues its natural ovulation cycle.

How does the Depo shot prevent pregnancy?

The Depo shot is a birth control injection that contains the hormone progestin. You receive the shot every three months and the hormones prevent you from ovulating. Progestin also thickens the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for sperm to get through. 

After stopping the Depo shot, it could take up to 10 months or more before you begin ovulating, so it’s not always the best option if you want to become pregnant within a year after using it as your method of birth control. 

In addition to preventing pregnancy, several different types of contraceptives offer other benefits such as lighter periods and less menstrual pain. If you’d like to learn more about birth control and discover which method is best for your needs, call the office or request the next available appointment online. 


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