Family Planning: Take Control of Your Reproductive Health

Whether you are planning a pregnancy or looking to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, it is never too early to start family planning.

Planning for a baby / Getting Pregnant

Prior to getting pregnant, it is important to focus on a woman’s health.  By making a plan and taking steps now, a woman can increase the chances of having a healthier baby in the future. Preconception care may include education, counseling, and health assessment that caters to each individual.

Choosing the right birth control for you

Contraception, or birth control, includes a variety of methods.  Options include long-acting reversible contraceptives or “LARC,” short-acting hormonal methods, barrier methods like condoms, fertility awareness methods, and permanent and irreversible methods such as female and male sterilization. These methods vary in effectiveness and work in different ways, allowing women to have the choice to become pregnant when they are ready.

Preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Left untreated, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can lead to serious long-term health consequences. STIs are acquired during unprotected sex with an infected individual. Appropriate STI testing and treatment are important for improving reproductive health and preventing complications to pregnancy.

“Family planning helps patients by providing health education and addressing individual preferences for reproduction.  It is a shared decision making process that has a positive impact on patients’ long-term health and meeting their future reproductive goals.”  – Sandy Bui, D.O.

To learn more about the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center’s family planning services, call (212) 966-0228 (Manhattan), (718) 886-1287 (37th Avenue, Queens) and (929) 362-3006 (45th Avenue, Queens), or visit our OB/GYN services page.