Birth Control
- Your body, your timeline, your choice.
Whether you’re choosing birth control for the first time, your current method isn’t working for you, or you’re simply ready for something new, please know this: there’s no wrong question, and there’s a method that fits your life.
Choosing birth control is a personal decision, shaped by your health, your relationships, and your plans for the future. At Women’s Health Group, Dr. Awad and our care team have helped Chicago women find the right contraception for more than 30 years. We explain every option in plain language, answer your questions
- 30+ years caring for women
- Every birth control option available
- Board-certified OB-GYN care
- Compassionate Caregivers
- Your body, your timeline, your choice.
Whether you’re choosing birth control for the first time, your current method isn’t working for you, or you’re simply ready for something new, please know this: there’s no wrong question, and there’s a method that fits your life.
Choosing birth control is a personal decision, shaped by your health, your relationships, and your plans for the future. At Women’s Health Group, Dr. Awad and our care team have helped Chicago women find the right contraception for more than 30 years. We explain every option in plain language, answer your questions
- 30+ years caring for women
- Every birth control option available
- Board-certified OB-GYN care
- Compassionate Caregivers
- 30+ years caring for women
- Every birth control option available
- Board-certified OB-GYN care
- Compassionate Caregivers
Our Services
What is birth control?
Medically reviewed by Michael M. Awad, DO, OB-GYN
Birth control, also called contraception, is any method that helps prevent pregnancy. Some methods use hormones to stop ovulation or thicken cervical mucus, while others create a physical barrier or change the environment of the uterus so sperm can’t reach an egg.
Many methods offer benefits beyond pregnancy prevention. Hormonal birth control can make periods lighter, more regular, and less painful, ease acne and PMS, and help manage conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. Only condoms protect against sexually transmitted infections, so we often recommend using them along with another method.
Long-acting methods like IUDs and the implant are more than 99% effective, while the pill, patch, and ring are about 93% effective with typical use. We’ll help you find the balance of effectiveness, convenience, and comfort that’s right for you.
Birth Control Warning Signs You Should Never Ignore
Most women use birth control without serious problems, and mild side effects like spotting, breast tenderness, or nausea often ease within a few months. But methods that contain estrogen carry a small risk of blood clots. Call us right away, or seek emergency care, if you notice:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Chest pain or shortness of breath (possible blood clot in the lungs)
- Sudden, severe headache, especially one unlike your usual headaches
- Vision changes, such as blurred vision, flashing lights, or loss of vision
- Pain, swelling, or warmth in one leg (possible deep vein thrombosis)
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the body (possible stroke)
- Bleeding that soaks through a pad or tampon every hour
- Signs of pregnancy while using birth control
If a side effect is bothering you, you don’t have to put up with it. Call us at 773-992-1555, and we’ll help you adjust your dose or try a different method. For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
- Finding Your Best Fit
The Personal Nature Of Birth Control
More Than One Right Answer
The best method depends on your health, how often you want to think about it, whether you want hormones, and when you might want to become pregnant.
Your Needs Can Change
The method that worked in your twenties may not fit after having children or as you approach menopause. We’re here to help you reassess at any time.
- Managing health conditions with birth control
Birth Control is for more than preventing pregnancy
For many women, birth control is part of treating a health condition. Hormonal methods can reduce heavy or painful periods, ease the pain of endometriosis, regulate cycles for women with PCOS, and improve acne and severe PMS.
If you have a condition like migraines with aura, high blood pressure, or a history of blood clots, some methods may not be safe for you, and others will be. Dr. Awad takes the time to review your full health history and recommend options that protect your health. If you’re thinking about pregnancy in the future, our preconception counseling can help you plan when you’re ready to stop.
- Contraception That Fits Your Life
Strategies for Comprehensive Care
Personalized Counseling
We review your health history, lifestyle, and future plans to recommend methods that are safe and practical for you, then let you make the final choice.
Every Option Under One Roof
From pills, patches, and rings to the shot, the implant, and IUDs, we offer the full range of birth control, including in-office placement for long-acting methods.
Managing Side Effects
If your method causes spotting, mood changes, or other concerns, we'll adjust your plan until it feels right, without making you start over.
Support at Every Life Stage
Your needs change over time. We help you switch methods, plan for pregnancy when you're ready, and transition through perimenopause with care that grows with you.
Your Birth Control Journey
Consultation
We talk about your health history, periods, lifestyle, and goals, and walk you through the methods that fit, including how each one works and what to expect.
Starting Your Method
Many methods can be started the same day. Long-acting options like the IUD or implant are placed during a quick in-office visit.
Follow-Up and Adjustments
We check in to make sure your method is working for you and make changes if side effects or your needs change along the way.
There’s no single right method for everyone. Your choice depends on your health, your preferences, and what matters most to you. We walk through the benefits and trade-offs of each option so you can decide with confidence.
Pills, patches, and rings
These short-acting hormonal methods are taken daily, changed weekly, or replaced monthly. They offer reliable protection and can also help regulate periods.
The birth control shot
An injection every three months provides protection without a daily routine. It’s a good fit for women who prefer not to think about birth control every day.
The birth control implant
A small, flexible rod placed under the skin of your upper arm prevents pregnancy for several years and is more than 99% effective.
IUDs
Hormonal and copper IUDs are placed in the uterus during a quick office visit and protect against pregnancy for 3 to 10 years, depending on the type.
Emergency contraception and permanent options
Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex, and a copper IUD placed within five days is the most effective option. For women who are certain they’re finished having children, we also discuss permanent sterilization.
Common Birth Control Questions We Hear Most
Which birth control method is the most effective?
IUDs and the implant are the most effective reversible methods, preventing more than 99% of pregnancies. Because they don’t depend on remembering a daily pill, they work just as well in everyday life as in studies.
Will birth control make me gain weight?
Research shows most birth control methods don’t cause significant weight gain. The birth control shot is the main exception, as some women gain weight while using it. If you’re concerned, we’ll help you choose a method that fits your goals.
How quickly can I get pregnant after stopping birth control?
For most methods, fertility returns quickly, often within a few weeks after stopping the pill, patch, ring, implant, or IUD. After the birth control shot, it can take several months to a year for fertility to return.
Does birth control protect against STDs?
No. Only condoms reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. We recommend using condoms along with your birth control method and regular STD testing if you have new or multiple partners.
Michael M. Awad, DO, OB-GYN
Dr. Mike Awad is a second-generation OB-GYN who values the long-term relationships he builds with patients and their families. He believes exceptional medicine means going beyond the diagnosis to explain options, answer questions, and individualize care. His philosophy is simple: meet every patient where she is, listen carefully, and make sure she feels understood and confident in her care.
He works alongside our physician assistants, Morgan Johannes, PA-C, Jennifer Sykstus, PA-C, and Georgiana Gomorczak, PA-C, so you have a team who knows your story at every visit. Meet the full care team.
Your comfort, privacy, and dignity come first
Birth control touches the most personal parts of life: your body, your relationships, and your plans for the future. You deserve care that feels respectful and free of judgment. Here is our promise to you.
Your choice is respected
We share honest information about every option, and the final decision is always yours. We never pressure you toward a method.
We explain first, then proceed together
Before any exam or placement, we walk you through what to expect and why, in plain language and at your pace.
Judgment-free conversations
Questions about sex, partners, or your future plans are welcome here. You can bring them up in whatever words feel comfortable.
Your information stays private.
Your conversations and records are protected, and follow-up messages go through our secure patient portal.
You Deserve Birth Control That Works for You
Birth control care for women across Chicago’s Southwest Side, including Garfield Ridge, Clearing, Burbank, Oak Lawn, Bridgeview, and Summit. New patients welcome. Most major insurance accepted.
