Family Planning

Decisions about when and if you wish to start a family are extremely personal and different considerations are involved for every woman. Tarek Bardawil, MD, at Elite Gynecology Miami is a board-certified physician who offers a variety of family-planning services, including birth control, fertility evaluation, and educational resources. To discuss your options for contraception or if you’re having trouble becoming pregnant, call the Miami office today, or make an appointment online.

Telephone

(305) 602-3022

Family Planning Q & A

Family planning is a process through which a woman determines when and if she wishes to have a child. Some women choose to participate in family planning with a partner, others make decisions about having a family on their own.

Dr. Bardawil partners with women and couples to provide contraception, initial fertility testing, and educational resources that help people make choices about family planning based on their individual situations and personal goals.

There is a wide array of choices when it comes to birth control. All contraceptive methods have the same goal: to prevent a man’s sperm from fertilizing a woman’s egg during sexual intercourse.

Contraception generally works in one of three ways: barrier methods, hormonal methods, or fertility tracking.

Barrier contraception

Barrier methods of birth control work by mechanically preventing the sperm from reaching the egg. Examples of barrier contraception include:

  • Condoms (also prevent some STDs)
  • Female condoms (also prevent some STDs)
  • Spermicide
  • Cervical cap
  • Diaphragm
  • Barrier methods are not as effective as other contraceptive methods.

Tubal ligation is a permanent form of barrier contraception. This procedure, sometimes referred to as having your “tubes tied,” involves surgically interrupting your fallopian tubes so that the egg and sperm cannot meet and therefore fertilization cannot occur.

Your menstrual cycle is regulated by the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Medications that contain these hormones can prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs or prevent fertilization. Hormonal birth control includes:

  • Birth control pills
  • Vaginal ring (Nuvaring ®)
  • Implants (Nexplanon ®)
  • Injections
  • Skin patches
  • Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirnea® and Kyleena®)
  • Copper IUD (ParaGard®)

Intrauterine devices (IUD) and implants are long-acting reversible contraceptive methods. The Mirena® and Kyleena® IUDs work by releasing progestin hormone locally inside the uterus.

This could have other benefits than providing contraception.  The Paragard® IUD releases a minimal amount of copper, which is toxic to the sperm and egg (but safe for you).

Fertility tracking

Sometimes called the “rhythm method,” this option involves tracking your menstrual cycle so you know when your ovaries will release an egg. By tracking your ovulation, you can abstain from sex during that time if you don’t wish to conceive.

If you do want to become pregnant, you can use fertility tracking to determine the best time to have intercourse to increase your chances of conception.

Patient Feedback

Gwennie T.

Dr. Tarek Bardawil is amazing. He is patient and makes you feel like you can ask as many questions as you need. Very knowledgeable and truly cares. His staff also always greeted with a smile.  

Sondra U.

  Consistently miles above the rest in terms of honest patient-centered health care. None better. Truly, you must experience Dr. Bardawil’s office to understand how medicine was meant to be practiced.  

Mia S.

  My experience at Dr. Bardawil’s office was wonderful. The entire staff was kind, punctual and professional. The doctor comprehensively addressed all my concerns and I feel confident my health is in good hands.  

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