If you’re heading to college this fall, schedule your annual well-woman exam today. Your annual exam can offer peace of mind when you’re away from home for lots of reasons: answer your questions, assure your good health for the year, and catch health concerns before they become more serious. Here’s what you can expect:
- Screen for GYN health conditions and assess your risk for future concerns
- Talk with you about birth control options if you are in need, sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, and your sexual health
- Keep you update to date on your Pap test, which occurs every 3 years after age 21
- Update your vaccinations
- Provide you with health-specific resources
Let’s Talk About STI Prevention and Birth Control
To do well in your classes, likely you plan out how you approach your studies and avoid leaving things to chance, right? The same goes for your sexual health when you’re at college. If you’re sexually active, it’s wise to create a plan so that you can protect your health and the health of your partner.
Avoid STIs
You want to be mindful of preventing STIs if you’re going to be sexually active at college. The best way to do that is to use a condom (male or female) every time you have sex, because it can greatly reduce the likelihood of STI transmission. However, certain sexually transmitted infections like herpes and HPV can be transmitted from skin contact, so condoms are not a foolproof method for STI prevention. Other helpful ways to reduce STI transmission risk include:
- Get tested to ensure you don’t already have an STI
- Have fewer sexual partners
- Know your partner sexual histories
- Be vaccinated against certain infections
- Have a partner that is vaccinated against certain infections
Prevent Pregnancy
An unintended pregnancy can change your life trajectory or leave you facing some significant decisions, and statistics show that people between the ages of 18 and 25 are the most common group to experience an unplanned pregnancy. Suffice it to say it’s important that you consider your birth control options if you could become pregnancy from sex.
What are some of the most common and most effective forms of birth control? Here’s a look at some birth control methods and their level of effectiveness. Our team is ready to answer questions and help you find a method that is best for you.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) – The most effective forms of birth control are long-acting reversible contraceptives, which are more than 99 percent effective at preventing an unplanned pregnancy. These devices are implanted or inserted by one of our ObGyn team, and they effectively alter the way sperm cells move so that they cannot reach the egg. An IUD or Nexplanon implants are examples of a LARC.
Birth Control Pills – Birth control pills are a little less effective than LARCs; statistics show that they are about 96% effective. The combined oral contraceptive pill safely stops ovulation, and if there is no egg to fertilize, pregnancy can’t happen. However, you need to remember to take your pill every day, otherwise it may not be effective.
Condoms/Diaphragms – Male and female condoms and diaphragms are two types of contraceptives that work to block the sperm from getting to the uterus. Condoms can break and diaphragms can shift, and these methods lead to anywhere from 12 to 24 unplanned pregnancies per 100 people who use this as their only form of contraception.
Withdrawal/FAM – Withdrawal is a method in which a person withdraws from the partner prior to ejaculation in order to reduce the chance of a pregnancy. FAM stands for fertility awareness method, and it involves tracking a person’s ovulation cycle to avoid having sex during the time while most fertile.
Our team hopes you have a great year at college, and we are here for you as you prepare for the year.