[QUESTION] What are the most widespread birth-control methods in your region?

[u/whoareyougirl]

I was talking about this to my SO the other day because she had an interesting conversation at work. Basically, one of her work colleagues was bummed out because she would have to stop taking her birth control pills for a couple months, and that would mean she wouldn't have sex during this period. My SO then asked why didn't they just use condoms during those months.

According to my SO, the silence in the room was so thick that she could have grabbed it. After being looked at as if she had said something blasphemous, she found out that basically everybody in her social circle is either on the pill or not in a relationship. People are under the impression that condoms are for casual partners/one night stands only, and pills are for when you're with a stable partner. We did some research, and apparently this is something country-wide (we're in Brazil).

So I'm kind of curious: is this a general trend, or is it something that varies from one country to another?

[u/okaymoose]

I think single and steady girls are on the pill here. Condoms are more stereotypically for one night stands but that doesn't mean the girl isn't also on the pill.

Many older women (25-40) have IUDs until they want to get pregnant. And Canada doesn't like to have its doctors recommend the depro vera shot but it is available.

The pill is definitely the most common I believe.

[u/Embe007 → u/okaymoose]

I've never detected any social dismay around condoms. In my experience, also in Canada, lots of women 35 and up use condoms even in relationships because we grew up with so many warnings about STIs and HIV. Also there are risks for hormonal birth control after about 45. Menopause doesn't happen for a fair number of women until about 55.

[u/okaymoose → u/Embe007]

This is true.

I'm 25 and I think the new mentality is that if you are in an exclusive relationship, and both have been tested, then you don't have to use condoms if the girl is on the pill.

[u/floating-point- → u/Embe007]

This comment works in NYC too. Hell, NYC launched a free condom delivery program to make sure everybody remembered to have safe sex during the pandemic. This city isn't joking around about their STI and HIV public health messaging either.

[u/LeDocteurNo → u/okaymoose]

I’m typing this response as I have my 7 week old son, our third kid, sleeping on my chest at 11:53pm French time.

My wife had an IUD. It’s not reliable, trust me. ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ

[u/okaymoose → u/LeDocteurNo]

And this is why I stick to the pill and depro vera

[u/LucillaM → u/okaymoose]

It is the same in the Netherlands

[u/delicious_downvotes → u/okaymoose]

I hope I don't regret asking this, but do you know what's wrong with the depo shot? I've been on the depo shots for a few years, and it's the ONLY thing I've found so far that makes my menstrual cramps survivable. I really like it, but now I wonder why Canada doesn't recommend it?

[u/okaymoose → u/delicious_downvotes]

I wish your doctor would have gone over the side effects with you.

I asked a doctor at a clinic and he took me through everything after a different doctor just blatantly said they don't recommend it without telling me why and then put me back on the pill which you're not supposed to be on if you have migraines with aura because you can get blood clots and I ALSO smoked at the time which mixed with the pill can cause blood clots...

Anyway.... depro vera causes bone density loss. From what this doctor told me, I understand that you won't be able to tell until at least 2 years later, so this is when they would have began testing me (I dont know how) to see if my bones were less dense than usual. Personally, I just stopped the shot and went back to the pill since I dont get migranes anymore.

I'd definitely ask your doctor and get tested though. This doctor told me it was such a small percentage but over a life time its not good. And any amount of calcium or other supplements and stuff don't seem to fix it.

[u/delicious_downvotes → u/okaymoose]

Thank you for your answer! I will bring this up with my doctor and see what they say. Sadly, I get menstrual cramps so severe that I can't move for maybe ~3 days or so. Nothing helped with the pain until we tried this. If I have to stop, I hope there's something else out there that helps, because going back would be a nightmare.

[u/okaymoose → u/delicious_downvotes]

I truly hope you find an alternative. But if depro vera is your best option, just enjoy life while you can. For all I know, this bone density thing won't even effect you until you're in your 80s and our bone density already goes down🤷‍♀️

[u/newgrl → u/delicious_downvotes]

The one and only time I went on Depo, I bled or spotted for 3 months straight and cried every single day until it was out of my system. Depo is not for me.

[u/scherre]

Here in Australia we have access to pretty much any mainstream method of b/c because it's relatively easy to see a doctor and our prescriptions are affordable because of government subsidies. So there is a variety in what people use. I know people who have used the pill, IUD, implant, depo. Or tried more than one of them until they found the best fit. Also for myself I tried both the pill and IUD but didn't care for the side effects so my husband and I relied on condoms (though we would have much preferred something a bit more "set and forget" the side effects were just not worth it) until he was able to get his vasectomy after three kids (mostly intentional.) That was the best decision we ever made! Occasionally I remember that we used to have to mess about with condoms every single time and I am so glad that is behind us. Judging by our little cluster of friends of similar age it is also becoming pretty common for men (those in long term relationships at least) to get the vasectomy done once they decide they have enough kids. Interesting side note, there used to be incredibly few doctors performing the procedure here maybe 15-20 years ago and now there are multiple large clinics dedicated to it - access to this as an option has improved greatly as society in general shifts from the thinking that birth control is a woman's responsibility to recognising that it is a shared responsibility.

[u/Whos_Sayin]

Abstinence

[u/Luutamo → u/Whos_Sayin]

big yikes

[u/Whos_Sayin → u/Luutamo]

Most common, not the only one available. Anyone can buy condoms but I think it's better for kids not to be fucking around like rabbits by age 15

[u/AVestedInterest]

USA here - my wife and I use condoms pretty much every time. Never heard about any stigma around them.

[u/AVestedInterest → u/[deleted]]

They gave my wife minor depression and also massively suppressed her libido. It was pretty awful.

Also in CA btw, although we were in TX when she was taking the pill.

[u/mazer_rack_em → u/AVestedInterest]

Damn that sucks

[u/AVestedInterest → u/mazer_rack_em]

It really doesn't.

[u/SchroederWV → u/AVestedInterest]

“It was pretty awful” “Damn that sucks” “It really doesn’t”

Redditors make zero sense to me.

[u/AVestedInterest → u/SchroederWV]

When I said "it was awful" I was referring to my wife's experience on the pill.

When this guy said "that sucks" and I said "it doesn't" I was referring to using condoms regularly.

[u/SchroederWV → u/AVestedInterest]

I’m just saying the whole interaction makes little sense linguistically, but thanks for the downvote and obvious walkthrough it’s clear why your wife still uses birth control.

[u/AVestedInterest → u/SchroederWV]

Does it? Those are two different conversations with two different commenters.

[u/SchroederWV → u/AVestedInterest]

Okay, again he was agreeing with you but take it how you will like I said no wonder your wife uses birth control, it must be an absolute drag to spend all of someone’s time around you.

[u/AVestedInterest → u/SchroederWV]

His comment was a reply to my comment about using condoms, not a reply to my comment about the pill. I may be misreading it, of course, but based on Reddit's comment structure that's what it suggests.

[u/fruskydekke]

Contraceptive implants are apparently becoming very popular among younger women here in Norway, along with other longer-term options like IUDs. Condoms are also very common and popular, but I get the impression they are rarely the only contraception in use.

There's no stigma about any of them, as far as I'm aware.

[u/pm_nachos_n_tacos]

Growing up in the 80s in the US, it was the other way around in my experience. Being on the pill insinuated promiscuity requiring long term pregnancy control. It sounds odd to even write that out, but your question made me think about it.

[u/Lazzen]

Condoms primarily then pills, other procedures tend to be costlier or local doctors try to delay it so "you can change your mind"

The stereotype i see in US media is that catholics don't wear condoms but that must be very old people,.

[u/tarlton → u/Lazzen]

The Catholic Church used to be very much against birth control of any kind, but I think it's disregarded by the typical US Catholic these days. Some of them still care, but most don't.

[u/AlkaliActivated]

I think this varies a lot in the US, though I'd be curious to hear other people's takes. Some places here have a real problem with not using birth control, so we get a lot of unwanted children and abortions, mainly in poor urban areas.

In the middle and upper classes, women are often on the pill or have an IUD, where the choice between the two will depend on if they have side-effects from one or the other.

[u/betebalance]

It's true that couples here keep to the pill only, but I'm not aware of such a contrived view of condoms. It's simply dumb - abstinence over "the wrong method"? It may be true to some uneducated folk, but everyone? I hope not.

[u/WhimsicalRenegade]

IUDs seem to be most prevalent in my 35-45 age group. Set it and forget it! (Northern California)

[u/ghostheadempire]

Homosexuality.

[u/John2Nhoj]

Coat hangers and deep chlorine bleach douches.