In my ob/gyn residency, we had “continuity clinics”—a weekly clinic where we could see the same patients over and over so that they could have good continuity with one physician.

A patient I’ll call Stephanie was the very first pregnant patient in my clinic. I diagnosed her pregnancy, provided prenatal care, delivered her baby, and saw her at her postpartum visit, where she desired to have a contraceptive implant inserted.

Over three years later, I was now a faculty member supervising residents in that same clinic where I had once been a resident. A resident started telling me about a patient who came in to have her contraceptive implant removed. She had it placed over three years ago and now was ready for another child.

I walked into the patient’s room to help the resident remove the implant and it was Stephanie. She greeted me with a huge smile and a hug saying she was so thankful for being given the ability to choose and access what contraceptive worked best for her. She was so happy with her implant, but was now in a good place to try to become pregnant again. And that’s what contraception can do— set women and their families up for success.