# What kind of birth control do you use?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-birth-control-do-you-use/428057>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 28, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-birth-control-do-you-use/428057 "2007-11-28T18:03:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-birth-control-do-you-use/428057/61 "2007-11-29T23:05:18Z")

</div>

Mirena.  
It is the mutt’s nuts.

I’m now 9 months post insertion, which was under GA, when I had my laparoscopy, so I can’t comment on pain, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat for the difference it has made to my quality of life.

So far…6 days of spotting in the last 9 months, nothing else. I had a “period” two weeks ago which consisted of some clumsiness, followed 3 days later by spotting and some mild tummy cramps for 3 days. Nothing like my old endometriosis-related hellacious pain, and able to cope with just panty liners, not even needing the faithful old Mooncup! I even managed without painkillers, which is the first time since my periods started that I’ve done that.

I’m planning a removal sometime 2010 for baby making and a re-insertion 6 weeks after any delivery. This is the only type of contraception I ever want to use, and it is safe during breastfeeding and until menopause and beyond. This is me sorted for the next 25 years.

Now that I advise patients about contraception at work (I also insert  
and remove IUCDs all the time), I really have to be careful not to talk up the Mirena too evengelically. It can be hard because I’ve had such a positive experience with it.  
YMMV.

BTW, the British National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) now recommends Mirena as _first-line_ treatment for _any_ woman (not just those who have had previous pregnancies) with heavy periods who is not actively trying to conceive. That’s before even the pill.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-birth-control-do-you-use/428057/62 "2007-11-29T23:27:08Z")

</div>

Before my son, I was on the pill. Worked great.

After Kiddo was born, I couldn’t tolerate a single variety of the pill, so we went with NFP/FAM. It was awesome. We only had to abstain (or use condoms, which we chose not to) 2-4 nights a month depending on my cycle. The rest of the time the sex was great! It worked perfectly for us for about 4 years. Then we decided that we were not going to have more kids and I got a tubal.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-birth-control-do-you-use/428057.md?page=3)