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Family Planning

Women's Healthcare Physicians of Naples

OB/GYNs located in Naples, FL

You may not think it’ll happen to you, but statistics say half of all pregnancies are unintended. Of course, you may welcome an unplanned pregnancy, but your chances of having a healthy pregnancy are better with family planning. The team at Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples are experts in family planning. They offer all the services you’ll need, from preconception counseling and birth control to infertility treatment. Call their offices in Naples, Florida, or schedule an appointment online for family planning.

Family Planning Q & A

Should You Consider Preconception Counseling?

Birth control is the obvious key to family planning, but there’s another step to consider – preconception counseling.

Preconception counseling consists of a thorough exam to be sure you’re in the best possible health to support a pregnancy. This is important because the state of your health when you conceive affects your baby’s health and influences your risk for problems during pregnancy.

Chronic health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and being overweight may cause an early delivery or a low birth-weight baby. Smoking significantly raises the risk for complications such as premature birth and stillborn babies because nicotine blocks the amount of oxygen that gets to the baby.

When your doctor at Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples identifies potential concerns, you can take steps to deal with the problem before you get pregnant.

What Does Your Age Have To Do With Family Planning?

Family planning should include a serious discussion about when you’ll be ready to have a baby. Many women decide to start a family later in life, then suddenly face the hard reality that their age has affected their fertility.

Your fertility peaks during your 20s, then the ability to get pregnant continuously declines as you get older. By the time women are 35, only half of them can conceive within 12 months, which means half of them are infertile.

The doctors at Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples provide treatment for infertility, but prevention is always better. Please come in for family planning and preconception counseling long before age makes infertility a concern.

What Types of Birth Control are the Most Effective?

You can receive different types of birth control at Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples, but first, it’s important to have a gynecological exam, including a review of your medical history, to be sure hormone-containing contraceptives are safe for you to use.

Your doctor explains how different types of birth control methods work and any potential side effects, but most women are interested in effectiveness, so here’s a rundown:

  • Intrauterine devices: Nearly 100% effective
  • Sterilization: Nearly 100% effective
  • Hormones (pills, injection, pellets, ring, or patch): 91-94% effective
  • Diaphragm: 88% effective
  • Male condoms: 82% effective
  • Sponge: 76-88% effective