Birth control shot

In a word, no. The best way to guard against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if you’re having sex is still the good ol’ condom. If you’re concerned about both pregnancy and STIs, doubling up with the shot and condoms is a great option.

A cyst is basically a bubble—a collection of fluid with a thin wall around it. Functional cysts are formed when a follicle (the fluid-filled sac that develops around an egg during ovulation) grows larger than expected. Sometimes they can cause un-fun symptoms like abdominal discomfort, pelvic pain, pain during bowel movements, or pain during sex. Most cysts disappear on their own, but if they keep growing they can cause severe pelvic pain or pain that causes dizziness or fainting and comes with a fever or vomiting. If you have any of these severe symptoms, go see your health care provider ASAP. Some hormonal birth control methods—the ones that work by blocking ovulation—may mean fewer ovarian cysts. If you tend to get cysts, your provider might recommend you try a method like the pill, the ring, the patch, or the shot.

If you’re just not vibing with your choice of birth control, it might be time to switch things up! But before you do, it’s important to take a second to ask yourself some questions to make sure you’re ready. Thinking about why you want to switch methods and what your needs are going forward will help you and your health care provider plan your next steps.

If you’d like to stop your birth control and try to get pregnant, here’s some information about returning to fertility after using different methods of birth control.

Whether it’s the shot, the pill, the patch, or the ring, lots of people have a hard time remembering to stay on top of their method. And with busy lives and a million other things on our minds, who can blame us?

If you struggle to remember to take your pill, change your patch or ring, or get your shot, we recommend trying out our reminder app. It’s easy to use, free, and features cheeky, entertaining content with every reminder. Life can be stressful—remembering your birth control shouldn’t be.

You have to get the shot every 3 months from a healthcare provider. That’s only 4 times a year!

But it’s really important for you to get each shot on time, so we can send you a cell phone or email reminder to help keep you right on schedule.