The Doctor Is In: Is Birth Control Enough?

Talking sex with your doctor isn’t always easy. Whether you are afraid she or he will judge you,  you just don’t feel comfortable sharing the intimate details of your life between the sheets, or you can’t think straight with a speculum between your legs, many people get tight lipped in the doctor’s office. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have questions.

By CC Staff

After so many of you wrote in to ask Dr. Lissa Rankin questions during CollegeCandy’s STD Awareness Day, we thought we’d bring her back more regularly. So, every Thursday she will be answering your questions. The ones you couldn’t ask your doctor in person and didn’t really trust the Yahoo community to answer for you. Just leave your questions in the comments, or send em over to us. (We’ll keep it all anonymous for you.) Dr. Lissa will answer anything – really, anything – about sex and other lady things. Don’t be shy; she’s waiting for ya!

Q: I am on the birth control pill and I want to stop using condoms with my boyfriend. I know he is clean, so I am not worried about STDs, but I am worried about pregnancy. Is the birth control pill enough to keep me from getting pregnant? Am I safe without condoms? I’m sorta freaking out, so any answers you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

A: Well, you know what they say- the only perfect birth control is abstinence (with one famous exception- and even that is highly contested!).  But the birth control pill, when taken daily – without fail – is extremely effective. Are you the type that forgets your pill from time to time?  Lower dose pills (ones that have 20 micrograms of estrogen, like Yaz or Lo-Estrin 1/20) are pickier pills, meaning that it’s more important that you take them at the same time every day.  But if you’re good about taking your pill every day, around the same time, you’re pretty darn close to protected (>99%).

If you’re not one of those “perfect users” of the Pill, you might want to consider something like Nuvaring, which is a vaginal ring you only have to think about once a month.  Or the Mirena IUD, which lasts for 5 years and is more effective than tying your tubes.

I’m guessing that, since you’re so freaked out about pregnancy, you’re going to be very responsible about birth control, and I’m high-fiving your right now for that. You go girl!  But if using condoms with your pills eases your anxiety, why not keep doing it?  If your boyfriend doesn’t mind and it gives you both peace of mind, there’s something to be said for being careful.

But if you’re taking your pills religiously and you’re willing to take the <1% risk of pregnancy, let your freak flag fly, girlfriend!