AWC offers education and information relating to family planning. We offer everything from preconception consultations to the most current and safe methods of birth control methods available. You and your provider will decide what is right for you.

BIRTH CONTROL PILL:  The pill works by preventing the woman from ovulation or producing an egg. The pill is very effective. That is why the pill has been the most effective contraception that is easily reversible or stopped if the woman wants to become pregnant.

CERVICAL CAP: Like a mini diaphragm and fits tight against the cervix, like a thimble fits over a finger tip. It has to be fitted since every woman is uniquely shaped.

CONDOM: Condoms are a thin sheaths that go over an erect penis, or a thin plastic pouch that tucks inside the vagina to cover the cervix.

DEPO-PROVERA: Depo-Provera is a synthetic progesterone hormone injection that lasts for 3 months.

DIAPHRAM: A Diaphram is a mall ring covered with rubber to hold spermicide against the cervix to kill sperm cells. It has to be fitted since every woman is uniquely shaped.

IUC/IUD: The Inter Uterine Contraceptive or Inter Uterine Device is a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterine cavity. It contains either Progesterone (hormone) that thickens the cervical mucus (to block the sperm cells from entering the uterus), or copper that causes the sperm cells to not be effective in fertilizing the egg. The copper device (ParaGard) can remain in place for as long as 10 years. The hormonal IUD (Mirena) is used for a shorter time (up to five years), but thins the lining of uterus so periods may be lighter. If a woman desires long term contraception, it can be the most economical.

IMPLANON: Implanon is a small plastic rod containing long-acting reversible hormonal contraceptive that is inserted just under the skin of a woman’s upper arm. It is good for a three year period.

ORTHO EVRA: Ortho Evra is an hormonal skin patch that is worn for a week at a time for three weeks. It is not worn for one week while the woman has her period. It too has the same risks and benefits of the pill.

PARAGARD: ParaGard is a simple T-shaped piece of soft, flexible plastic wrapped with natural copper. It’s designed to fit comfortably in the uterus.

MIRENA: Mirena is an intrauterine contraceptive that delivers small amounts of hormone directly to the uterus. Made of soft, flexible plastic, it is put in place by your healthcare provider during an office visit. Mirena is birth control that lasts as long as you want, for up to five years, and is also approved to treat heavy periods in women who choose intrauterine contraception.

PLAN B: Available for our existing patients, Plan B, or the morning after pill, is a single tablet that can be taken to help prevent a pregnancy up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Plan B cannot terminate an existing pregnancy.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: This method, also called the rhythm method, uses periodic abstinence to complement the fertile time of the women’s cycle. The success of this method depends on knowing when the woman ovulates and avoiding that time. There are three basic methods: 1) the basal body temperature method; 2) Ovulation/cervical mucus method; 3) Calendar method: the woman keeps a menstrual calendar for six months to figure out when she is ovulating.

NUVARING: The NuvaRing is a flexible, plastic hormone ring that is placed in the upper vagina like a diaphragm. It has similar hormones to the pill, but is worn for three weeks (21 days) and is removed for one week while the woman has her period. It has the same risks and benefits as the birth control pill.

SPERMICIDES: Spermicides are chemicals that kill sperm cells. They are placed inside the vagina in various forms as tablets, gels, foam, or suppositories.

TUBAL LIGATION: The woman’s fallopian tubes are closed by tying, banding, clipping, blocking, cutting or by sealing them with an electric current. Sometimes women have their procedure right after giving birth.

VASECTOMY: (Anchorage Women’s Clinic does not perform this procedure but can refer you to providers who do.) For the man, this procedure involves cutting his vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm cells from the testes to be stored inside his body. This procedure is very reliable, safe, less invasive, and less costly because it is a minor surgical procedure done under local anesthetic.