Lay Off The Pills! Why birth control pills may not be the best option for college students Additional benefits: It is also important to note that many alternative birth control methods have added benefits such as: Less troublesome side effects including headaches, weight gain, mood changes, and acne Fewer cramps and lighter bleeding Some methods are even being considered for delivery of drugs that will prevent sexually transmitted diseases What’s the problem? The largest number of unintended pregnancies occur among college students and many of these pregnancies result despite the use of birth control pills This mainly occurs because busy and stressful schedules make it difficult for students to keep up with birth control pills that require daily adherence What can you do? It may be helpful to talk to your healthcare provider about other options that don’t need daily maintenance. Some of these include: Transdermal Patch Patch that is placed on the skin weekly Statistics: More than one million unintended pregnancies result from misuse and discontinuation of contraceptive pills Only 52% of college students consistently use birth control pills Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) Device placed in the uterus that stays in place for 5 to 10 years Vaginal Ring Ring that only needs to be replaced once a month The most important thing to remember is too keep an open mind!