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The Results are In!
What is Your Preferred Method of Birth Control?
By Belinda Clarke

For several weeks, Babies Today has focused on contraception with a continuing series of cover stories by iParenting.com Assistant Editor Shel Franco. In that series, she has discussed the usage of diaphragms, condoms and contraceptive foam, with more to come! In conjunction with the Birth Control Series, the Babies Today Poll recently posed the question to readers, "What is your preferred method of birth control?" After several weeks of results tallying, we have the following information to share. These results reflect information gathered up to June 26. Remember: you can always check the Babies Today Poll Results by going to www.babiestoday.com, scrolling down to The Weekly Poll and clicking on "See the latest results here."

Winner: The Pill
Pills Overwhelmingly, respondents to the Babies Today poll indicated the Pill as being their No. 1 form of contraception with 43.3 percent of respondents choosing this as their preferred method. As Shel Franco mentions in her cover story, the Pill is also the leading method of birth control in the U.S., with a more than 99 percent effectiveness rating when used properly. Oral contraceptives have been on the market more than 40 years and have been proven to be safe and effective. Furthermore, a wide variety of oral contraceptive brands and dosages now are available to meet the needs of a wide variety of women. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN, one particular brand, even advertises the added benefit of treating mild forms of adult acne in addition to its contraceptive features. According to the product Web site, "ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN is the only birth control pill that has been clinically proven to help reduce moderate acne and maintain clearer skin in women 15 or older, with no known medical reasons not to take oral contraceptives, who menstruate, want contraception and are not responsive to topical anti-acne medications. Studies show that nearly 9 out of 10 women who took ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN saw improvements in their skin."

Second Place: "Other"
Of the respondents, 28.3 percent indicated "Other" as their preferred method of contraception. This may be because the poll was limited to four options (pill, diaphragm, condoms and foam). As the Birth Control Series continues, Shel Franco will address other forms of contraception including Natural Family Planning, the IUD and Depo Provera. However, this editor’s interest is piqued! If you were one of the respondents who answered "other" or you practice a form of birth control not listed, we’d love to hear from you. As always, please send your thoughts and information to feedback@babiestoday.com.

Third Place: Condoms
Condoms, the old standby, received 26.7 percent of the vote in the Babies Today poll. In addition to providing an effective contraceptive barrier when used properly, condoms are an effective way to minimize the risk of contracting and spreading sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Fourth Place Tie – Diaphragms and Foam
Finally, there was a tie between foam and diaphragm usage, with .8% of poll respondents indicating those as their preferred method of contraception. Both are relatively easy to use and require some planning ahead, but each is an effective form of birth control when used properly.

Thanks to all of you who participated in the Babies Today Birth Control Poll. We value your feedback and information! In the coming weeks, look for the continuation of Shel Franco’s Birth Control Series with articles about Natural Family Planning, Depo Provera, IUDs and more!

Want to See More? Read other installments in the Babies Today Birth Control Series!

About the Author: Belinda Clarke is a senior editor for iParenting.com.

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