Decide + Be Ready

Decide + Be Ready - an interactive way to learn about birth control options and think through what’s important to you about your method. You’ve got to love options, especially when it comes to birth control, but figuring out the best method for you can be overwhelming. In 15 minutes or less, you’ll have the information you need to discuss options with your health care provider in order to make the best decision for you!

FEATURES include:

1. Brief educational modules reviewing all the birth control methods out there, including:

How well does it prevent pregnancy? How do I use it? How often do I have to remember it? Are there any side effects? What if I decide to get pregnant? Considerations for a servicewoman

1. “Info quickies” that provide information about such topics as emergency contraception, IUDs, postpartum and breastfeeding considerations, and fertility awareness methods.

2. An interactive section that allows you to indicate your preferences for the method characteristics described above.

3. A short checklist assessing your medical eligibility for different contraceptive methods.

4. Recommendations on methods that may be a good fit for you based on your responses to items 3 and 4 above. You can then select the methods that you wish to discuss at more length with your provider. You can also use the “Compare Methods” function to view all the characteristics of two methods side-by-side.

5. A notepad to write down questions you have for your provider.

6. Your Birth Control Profile that summarizes and allows you to share your method preferences, questions you wish to ask your provider, and methods you are most interested in. You can save your profile, email it to yourself or share with your provider.

DESCRIPTION

Decide + Be Ready will cover important basics about all the methods out there and ask you questions about what you want from birth control (like how you want to use it, how often you want to think about it, and what side effects are going to bother you or make your life better), so you can find the ones that work for you. The app will also allow you to compare methods side by side, and capture questions you have for your provider. Even if you already have a method in mind, it is good to know your options.

Decide + Be Ready can be used by anyone. However, it was specifically developed to meet the unique needs of women in the military. These servicewomen, when deployed or working in uniquely challenging environments, have additional things to think when choosing a birth control method, like access to methods, or the advantages of being able to manage or even skip their menstrual periods with certain methods. Physical and emotional readiness is critical for the military mission and this app will help servicewomen “be ready” in more ways than one!

Decide + Be Ready is straightforward to use and will guide you through a flow of information and questions that result in tailored recommendations based on your preferences.

Decide + Be Ready was developed jointly by faculty at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), the Person-Centered Reproductive Health Program at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), and Nitid Bit, LLC. It is sponsored and maintained by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The contents, views or opinions expressed in this application are those of the developers and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Department of Defense (DoD), or Departments of the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.